


Do You Trust Me?

by Tenheroes



Category: IZONE (Band)
Genre: 2kim and yenwon, F/F, Friendship, Spiderman AU, chaekura is very slight but it's still there, minor violence for fight scenes but it won't be very graphic
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-10-21
Packaged: 2020-03-08 16:55:28
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 51,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18898786
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tenheroes/pseuds/Tenheroes
Summary: Minjoo is the new girl in town. Chaewon interns at Seoul News Publisher. Yena is the best friend. And Spider-Man is running around town like some vigilante.





	1. The Return of An Old Friend

**Author's Note:**

> I'm back with another story I guess. And yes, another superhero au because no, I can't get enough.

"Spider-Man thinks he's hot sh*t when all he does is run around -- web around, swinging from building to building like a circus performer. He webs up one guy who stole a purse from a lady and suddenly everyone is all over him as if he had killed Thanos."

Chae Won huffed after her long rant, lightly blowing on her bangs. Her hands were placed firmly on the table and her back remained straight as she stared forward. There was a somewhat glare in her eyes - though her eyes weren't really trained on anything nor anyone. She was angry. She was fuming.

Now, Chae Won wasn't really one to get mad easily. She wasn't one to get mad at all. Sure, she found most things - most people - highly annoying. But she often finds herself to little too interested to care enough to get mad. But now was different.

Of course, Chae Won didn't last like this long and it was only a few seconds before she found her eyes lowering and her back stretching.

"Who hurt you this time?" Hye Won asked, only mildly interested, in between bites of her bread.

"Spider-Man swung away before she could get any good pictures of him for her article," Chae Yeon said, slightly leaning into the older girl to whisper, "It was quite sad, really."

"Doesn't he like," Yuri said in between munches, "hate you or something? Isn't this the third time he's swung away before you could get any pictures?"

Chae Won rolled her eyes and sighed. "Don't remind me. Eun Bi was bragging about how she was able to get pictures of him a few years back which got her the promotion."

"Well, Spider-Man must really hate you then," Hitomi said absentmindedly which earned her a shove from Nako.

"Ignoring that," Chae Won said as she gathered herself and began to look around the table, eyes scanning for a particular person, "Where did Yena go? Wasn't she here before?"

"She left not long after you arrived," Chae Yeon responded with a shrug. "Didn't really say anything."

The younger girls eyes faltered and her shoulders hung low. It was subtle, but her disappointment was there. But Chae Won wasn't one to show such emotions and found herself more comfortable blatantly complaining as if it were a joke. So, she put on a pout and began to do as such.

"I feel like it's been days since I saw Yena, that girl is always running off these days - oh my gosh! Do you think she's dating some boy?"

At those words, Hye Won put down her bread, Chae Yeon put down her phone, Yuri went eye-wide, and Nako and Hitomi stopped whatever they were doing in the corner.

"A. . . Boy?" Yuri asked, exchanging a look with Chae Yeon.

"Think about it," Chae Won said as her eyes looked off into the distance and her chin rested on her fist, "we never see her much these days and when we ask where she's been, she gets all flustered and changes the topic quickly. What else could it be?"

"It could be many different things," Chae Yeon said, picking up her phone once again to continue texting her girlfriend, "but that, my friend, is not it."

Chae Won sighed once again, leaning back against her chair. She looked outside.

It was a bright and sunny day in Seoul. It was a beautiful weekend, really. The sky was clear and the weather wasn't too hot, nor too cold. It was one of those rare days in the year when time seemed too slow down, somewhere in between class assignments and work duties, and it was so easy to lose yourself in thought; just let your mind wander.

So, Chae Won began to think. She thought about the speech she had to prepare for her public speaking class. She thought about her room which she had forgotten to clean earlier in the week. She thought about her dog who she had to take for grooming. She thought about the child who stood right outside the window, hand holding on to an ice cream cone, and the falling drops that drizzled down his wrist. And, she thought about Spider-Man and his-

_Swoosh!_

Chae Won's eyes widened and she quickly sat up, arms uncrossing as she began to frantically look around. "Did you girls see that?!"

"See what?" Yuri asked, barely glancing up from her phone.

"Spider-Man just swung by the f*cking window," Chae Won muttered.

"What?!" All the girls asked in unison. But there was no answer, for Chae Won was already taking her camera out of her bag and running out of the coffee shop to chase after the hero.

 

Here's the thing: Usually, whenever Spider-Man would swing around town, webbing up some bad guys, stopping some busses from tipping over the bridge and into the river, or helping an old lady get her cat down from a tree -- he would almost always stop by to be interviewed by a couple of people (mostly reporters), and interact with fans.

But Chae Won wasn't sure if she was just always late, or if he truly did hate her, because by the time she would arrive he was always already swinging away. And today was no exception. The difference this time was, however, that he for sure saw her. She was so sure if it.

She had been running up to the crowd and had pushed her way in just as he finished answering some questions asked by her rival news publisher -- and he saw her before he quickly turned around and webbed away.

"How was your day?" Eun Bi - Chae Won's older sister - asked when she walked into the apartment that afternoon, making the younger slip out of her thoughts for a while before bringing her back.

Chae Won barely glanced up as she tossed her shoes and jacket to the side with drowsy eyes. "Exhausting."

"Spider-Man?" Eun Bi asked, knowing her sister better than anyone else.

"Yeah," Chae Won said tiredly as she walked into the kitchen and began to look through the cabinets. She sighed when she saw there was absolutely nothing to snack on.

"Did he ignore you once again?" Eun Bi asked, stuffing some popcorn into her mouth, eyes remaining trained on the whatever drama she was watching.

Chae Won walked over to the couch sat besides her sister before taking the bowl of popcorn into her hold. "Yeah, I swear he hates me."

"I really doubt that's the case," The older spoke as she snatched the bowl back, "I've interviewed him plenty of times and he is super nice."

Chae Won rolled her eyes. There it was once again. It seemed like she couldn't complain about Spider-Man once to her sister without the older bringing up her success with the self-proclaimed hero. "Yeah, well, I must be a special case then. I don't even know what his voice sounds like because every time I come around he stops talking and swings away."

"Nobody knows what his real voice sounds like," Eun Bi said, eyes stilled trained on the television, "he wears voice modifier."

"I wouldn't even know that," Chae Won snorted, "because that is how little I have gotten to know of him since I started this internship."

"Don't worry little sister. I'm sure one day you'll get to know him better."

"I doubt it."

 

To say that Chae Won was stressed was an understatement. She had an upcoming test in two weeks, two essays due in one week, a ten-minute presentation to give in two days, and not to forget that she still hadn't finished her article for this weeks column because she could get nowhere near the damn Spider-Man and she refused to write another article about the climate change.

But among all this chaos in her life -- there was more chaos. Eun Bi had told her an old family friend whom she used to know and her parents had just moved back into town not long ago and that their two families were scheduling a dinner which she would have to attend. Did Chae Won want to attend? Of course not. But when her sister was practically ordering her to attend, she didn't really have much choice. Eun Bi was quite scary at times.

Thus, Chae Won was at the library, trying her best to get her History assignment done in one hour, before she had to leave to attend the dinner. Fortunately for her, if college had taught her anything so far, it was how to type an essay in under an hour. So, Chae Won quickly submitted the assignment online and headed off to the restaurant where they would be having the reunion.

What Chae Won expected to happen when she arrived at the place was the parents talking while the children remained on their phones and she was left ultimately bored out of her mind, wishing she was able to get a head start on all the other assignments she had to piled up on her desk back home, or wishing she was hanging out with Yena or Hye Won, or Hitomi, or any other one of her friends. Sure, Chae Won had known Min Joo since even before she knew any of her recent friends, but that didn't mean she expected to get along with her now the same way she did when they did when they were five and playing with dolls in Eun Bi's room even though the older had told restricted them from doing so before.

But when Chae Won arrived at the table ten minutes late and saw everyone was already there, she was sure surprised by how much the younger girl had changed.

"Chae Won," Her mother had said when she stood in front of them, eyes focused on Min Joo who now looked taller than her and was much prettier than she remembered, "you finally arrived. Why don't you go sit in between Min Joo and your sister?"

Chae Won nodded and did as told, earning herself a glare from her older sister as she too her seat besides her before she turned to look at the younger girl and exchanged a small smile with her. Min Joo was sure pretty when she smiled. Much prettier than she remembered.

"Hey, it sure has been a while." Min Joo was the first to start a conversation, bumping her shoulder with her own.

"Yeah, last time I saw you we were thirteen and you were at least three inches shorter than me." Chae Won said, eyes remaining trained on the younger's smile that only widened from there.

Min Joo laughed lightly - only because the two didn't want to gain attention from the adults - and said, "Yeah, well, I hit puberty that summer I left, so now we're about even."

"I guess I no longer have a leverage on you, then." Chae Won responded.

"You never did." Min Joo teased.

The two girls were left smiling, reminiscing the old days before Min Joo's dad had gotten that job promotion somewhere else, causing the family to move away.

Chae Won had actually been quite sad that summer -- her first summer alone. All of her childhood she had spent every waking moment with Min Joo and as a child, she had never felt the need to reach out more. Sure, there were classmate friends here and there, but Min Joo was her best friend. She was the one she would play with at recess, the one who she would eat lunch with, the one she throw sleepovers with even though they wouldn't ever sleep when they were together, and the one who filled in every empty space  Chae Won would have in her life when she left.

But that upcoming school year was the year she met Yena who was a grade above her, and also lead her to meet the other girls through the next couple of years. She thanked Yena for that a lot. But that was a different story.

"So, Min Joo, you're in your senior year of high school, right?" Chae Won's mother asked the younger girl like any parent who was curious about everything relating to their child would.

"Yes, I just started at my new school two months ago," Min Joo responded with another smile. She had plenty of those to pass around, it seemed.

"Have you made any friends yet?" Eun Bi asked, being social as she always would be in contrast to her younger sister.

"Not many," Min Joo responded, "but I have made a couple. Mostly girls a few years younger. But everyone has been really nice since I moved back here."

"You should ask Chae Won to introduce you to her friends," Eun Bi suddenly suggested, sending the other a side-glance, "She has plenty of those to go around. They're always hanging out at our apartment and-"

Chae Won elbowed her older sister, knowing where she was going with that suggestion. She was trying to tell her she was tired of having her friends around all the time. But really, Chae Won didn't mind the idea so much. Introducing an old best friend to her new close friends? What could go wrong?

 

Yena had been missing out on the usual hangouts with her friends. Yena's friends had started noticing her missing presence at their usual hang outs. And Yena was quite aware of it. She knew her missing presence didn't go unnoticed anymore and it was starting to raise questions. She knew sooner or later one of them would get sick of it and straight up ask her -- interrogate her as if she was committing some kind of crime. Which she might have been, but that wasn't the point.

The point was, Yena only had such little free time and she had to spend every single second of it with her friends so everything would seem perfectly normal and no one would ask any questions that she wouldn't be able to answer.

So, for the first time in three weeks, she showed up to their usual hang out. But she hadn't expected there to be someone new that day.

"Where's Chae Won?" Yena had asked as soon as she sat down at their usual spot in the coffee shop after class and noticed the girl's missing presence.

Chae Yeon had opened her mouth to respond, but before she could the door to the coffee shop opened and Chae Won walked in. Yena's face had lit up at the sight, before it instantly dropped and became a frown when she noticed the girl that walked in behind her. "Who's that?" She asked as the two girls walked over.

"Her old friend who she knew before us and who just moved back." Chae Yeon responded with a shrug.

Yena's frown did not disappear though her question had been answered.

Chae Won had other friends besides them? Who was that girl with the tall and slender figure and bangs and perfectly beautifully sculpted face?

Thinking about it, it made sense that Chae Won had other friends before she met the group. Unless she was just some friendless losers her entire life before she met them -- but then again, that was often how Yena had pictured the girl would have been years ago. Friendless until she - _they_ \- came into her life, turning her entire world upside down and showing her the magic of friendship -- wait, that was the plot to My Little Pony: Friendship Is Magic.

"Hey guys," Chae Won said as she took her seat across from Chae Yeon and next to Yena; Min Joo took the seat in between Chae Won and Nako, and across from Yuri. "This is my friend Min Joo who I have known since she was born. She moved away when we were thirteen and just recently moved back."

"Nice to meet you," Yuri immediately introduced herself, being a little too excited over the new girl, extending her arm across the table so the other could shake her hand, "I'm Yuri, the funny one."

Min Joo smiled slightly as she took the girl's hand and shook it.

"No," Hye Won said with a shake of her head, "You aren't the funny one. Anyways, I'm Hye Won."

And one by one, Chae Yeon, Nako, and Hitomi introduced themselves, leaving only Yena.

"Well," Yena mumbled, eyes flickering between Chae Won and the new girl, "I'm Yena. The actual funny one."

Min Joo smiled which, for who knows why, irritated Yena. "Nice to meet you all, I hope we can be good friends." And that also irritated Yena.

"Hey, you look kind of familiar," Yuri suddenly commented. Before Min Joo could responded, the girl was already leaning over the table, close into the girl - forcing the other to lean back - as her eyes scanned her entire face. "Oh my gosh, we have first period together, I think!"

"You think?" Chae Yeon asked.

Yuri shrugged, leaning back in her seat. "I sleep in that class."

Min Joo tilted her head, eyes slightly widening. "Oh, I think we do. You sit in the back, right? You snore kind of loud."

Chae Yeon snorted and Nako and Hye Won cackled. Yuri's excited face dropped as she slumped down. She then sighed and nodded her head. "Of course," She grunted, "Just my luck."

"You're blunt," Nako spoke up, "I like you. If you have a class with Yuri then that means all four of us go to the same school."

"How do you go to the same school as someone and not recognize them?" Chae Won suddenly asked.

Yena sighed, shaking her head. "It happens."

"Yeah, we went to the same high school for three years," Hye Won spoke up, "But we didn't know until we became friends last year in college."

"And you were both friends with Chae Won and I," Chae Yeon laughed, "I'll never understand how you never met even when having the same friend circle."

And the rest of the meeting went like that. A bit of teasing here and there, some laughing all around, and the slightest bit of jealousy radiating from a certain someone. But, of course, she wouldn't realize it was jealousy until they were all parting ways and she waited for Chae Won to walk out, only to be told that the girl would be walking with Min Joo instead. And even then, the girl assured herself that, whatever it was that she was feeling, would soon go away.

 

Almost a month passed after the group's first meeting with Min Joo, and the girl couldn't be any more attached to Chae Won -- they had noticed. Every time the group would meet up, they two girls would walk in together. They would sit together. They would lead the conversation together -- everyone was fascinated to hear about Chae Won's life before she had encountered them. And they would leave together.

It went unmentioned, but not unnoticed, that Chae Won had somehow seemed to have replaced another one of the girls: Yena. No, Yena and Chae Won were never exactly 'best friends'. The two girls were close to everyone in their friend group, so labeling each other as such would be awkward and distant. Not to forget, the one that Yena was closest to was Yuri who she had known since she was five because they lived right across from each other for a certain amount of time in their childhood. And Chae Won was closest to her sister, who was very much like a best friend, and never bothered to use the label again after Min Joo had left when they were thirteen.

But even though they weren't 'best friends', it was no secret that Chae Won and Yena had a different bond. Whenever Chae Won would rant about Spider-Man, unlike Hye Won who was blunt or Yuri who liked to joke around, Yena would nod and agree with whatever the younger girl would say. And she was just always there to support her in every way she could. Perhaps, that was why Chae Won spent so much time with the older girl -- more time with her than the others. The two girls loved all of their friends, truly, but in different ways for each one of them. And when it came to each other, their friendship was the kind where they could meet freely whenever they wanted to, outside of their usual hang outs with the others.

Except for lately, now that Yena was busy. And Chae Won seemed to be more focused on her rekindled friendship with someone else. Which led back to the random conversation they were having at the moment.

"And then we both jumped over the fence and ran as fast as we could," Chae Won said, trying her best not to burst into laughter.

"I can't believe you two ran away." Hitomi spoke in disbelief. "Why?"

"Have you ever met Chae Won's sister?" Min Joo asked, hand going up to her mouth as she laughed. "Eun Bi is scary. She does _not_ come around to play."

"Tell me about it," Yena thought out loud, "Last month she kicked me out of the apartment with a broom because I broke her vase."

"That vase was worth eighty dollars." Chae Won deadpanned.

"She has no shame," Hye Won said with a shake of her head and a click of her tongue.

"Hey Chae Won, isn't that your sister on the TV?" Chae Yeon asked when her eyes flickered up and she noticed the news reportage airing on the television that hung on the back wall.

Chae Won's eyebrows raised and she slowly turned around in her seat when she saw all of her friends on the other side of the table were now looking up. "Oh," She whispered when saw the news reportage airing on the television, clearly showing her older sister talking about Spider-Man.

"Mrs. Park," Yuri called over to the owner of the shop, "Can you raise the volume on the television?"

The owner did as requested and the girls were able to hear what Eun Bi was reporting.

"Yesterday, Spider-Man was able to catch five gangsters that were beating up person A behind an alleyway. Unfortunately, it has been reported this morning that one of the gangsters escaped, and person A has requested security from the police department in fear that the gangster will come after them, until they can catch him again. Many of the public are speculating that these gangsters are part of a bigger gang that helped the other escape and that they will come back for the others and go after Spider-Man -"

"I don't want to hear anymore."

Everyone in the table turned around to look at Min Joo who was then turning away from the television.

"Are you okay?" Chae Won asked worriedly, leaning in closer to the younger. "You look ill."

Yena wanted to scoff. Her? Why wouldn't she be well just because of a news reportage on Spider-Man?

"I just don't like violence," Min Joo responded, giving the older girl a slight smile to reassure her that she was okay. But even with that response, the mood at the table had changed, and one of the girls was not up for it.

"I have to go," Yena suddenly announced as she picked up her backpack and swung it over her shoulder. She glanced at her friends - who all looked like they wanted to say something - and her eyes lingered on Chae Won a little longer than the rest, before she turned around and walked out. She couldn't stay there any longer.

"What's up with her?" Hye Won asked, though she didn't actually care very much. All the girls seemed to shrug it off as Yena being Yena: odd. All but one girl who remained staring out the window, eyes remaining on the corner of the street that Yena had disappeared off to: Yuri.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm truly obsessed with Spider-Man aus and I love Iz*one, so... Best of both worlds?
> 
> Anyways, the next few chapters will be longer. I'm not really sure how long I plan on making this story. And I really love working on this so thank you for reading!
> 
> -J


	2. Strange

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I think Spider-Man would definitely be stupid enough," Yuri spoke up, filling in the silence that her best friend had left behind, "I mean, someone who is running around in a suit like that fighting a bunch of bad guys at the cost of their life must already have something wrong with them in the head, right?"

It didn't take Min Joo long to feel like she fit in. At school, she had made friends that were nice and practically glued on to her from her first day; and outside of school she had Chae Won's friends - some of which she now met during school hours - who she was able to get along with quick and who made her feel like a part of the squad. And Min Joo could not be happier.

Truthfully, she had been devastated when she found out she had to move and leave her best friend years ago. She didn't think it was any secret that she had a small crush on Chae Won back then, and she didn't think it was much of a secret that it was gradually returning with the amount of time she spent with the older. Well, perhaps it was a secret, seeing how the older girl did not seem to notice and none of the other girls said anything about it.

Well, someone _did_ say something.

"You spend so much time with that girl Chae Won, do you like her?" Yu Jin, a freshman who she had met the first day of school, questioned as she leaned on her desk with her chin resting on her palm.

Min Joo looked down, the slightest smile appearing on her face.

Yu Jin snorted, leaning back away from the girl and crossing a leg over the other. "See, I knew it. You talk about her all the time, you hang out with her every chance you get, and you practically ooze whipped aura."

"I didn't even say anything." Min Joo protested, though she knew it was true.

A few months ago Min Joo had been the new girl at school and when no one else approached her during lunch - because as she would learn later on, she was apparently too stunning for anyone to talk to - Yu Jin had no fear and approached her with a goofy grin saying it looked like they were both outcasts in need of friends. And ever since then the two girls clicked perfectly and the tall freshman was able to read Min Joo surprisingly too well.

Yu Jin shook her head and clicked her tongue, seeing how the older went quiet once again. "You didn't have too. That goofy grin told me enough."

Min Joo opened her mouth to say something, but before she could protest once again, a chair was pulled up besides them and another tall girl slumped down on it, staring at them with a toothy grin.

"Won Young, how many times are you going to sneak in before you realize how dumb it is?" Min Joo asked, though her question went unanswered by the junior high student who had a knack for breaking into the high school to hang out with her best friend and the new girl.

"She's obsessed with me," Yu Jin said with a roll of her eyes, though that comment also went unanswered.

"Anyway," Won Young said, completely diminishing everything the older two said, "what did I miss?"

"Nothing much, just the usual," Yu Jin said rather disinterested before sending Min Joo a glance, "just this girl ranting about her undeniable love for Chae Won."

"Ooh!" Won Young exclaimed as her hands clasped together, a little too invested with the older's love life like any other fourteen-year-old. "When do we get to meet this girl? I'm so tired of only hearing about how beautiful she is. I want to _see_  it myself."

"Never," Min Joo said with a shake of her head, "I don't want you girls to embarrass me in front of her."

"We are not embarrassing." Won Young protested with a pout. Yu Jin nodded firmly.

Min Joo raised an eyebrow and the two girls shrugged before all three of them broke into a fit of laughter, throwing the oldest one back to the day she met the other two.

 

When the older had first arrived at the school everyone avoided her like the plague. Of course, being as disinterested in others as she was, she wouldn't notice until lunch time came around and she stood at the center of the cafeteria, tray in hand and eyes scanning the entire place in search for somewhere to sit. That was when Yu Jin jumped in.

The freshman had called her out from across the cafeteria yelling, "Hey new girl, Min Joo! Over here!"

When the senior turned around - as everyone else in the cafeteria - her eyes landed on the younger who was waving both hands proudly as if she couldn't see her, sitting at a far back table by the windows by herself.

Min Joo had been embarrassed, of course, but with no other choice she walked over to the freshman and placed her tray down across from her. Before she hesitantly sat down, her eyes scanned the room one last time to see if everyone was still staring -- they were.

Not even seconds later, Won Young had appeared out nowhere, placing her tray down with a slam before sitting besides her best friend.

"Hi!" The two girls greeted at the same time.

"I'm Yu Jin! A freshman!" The older of the pair had introduced herself a little excitedly with a toothy grin.

"And I'm Won Young! An ninth grader at the junior high!" The youngest introduced herself, an equally toothy grin on her face.

Min Joo had frowned instantly at her words. A ninth grader?

As if the two could read her mind, they instantly began to explain the situation to the older.

"See, we've been best friends since we were little so we always stick together," Yu Jin began to excitedly before her face fell when she continued, "which resulted in us not having many friends."

"Yeah, I'm an outcast at the junior high and she's an outcast here," Won Young said, her face also falling at the mention of lack of friends. "Therefore, I sneak in here to make her feel less lonely."

Min Joo nodded slowly, not sure what to think of the two girls. But seeing how happy they looked to have another friend, she figured they were harmless.

Until a few seconds later when the security guard appeared and chased Won Young around the cafeteria while Yu Jin yelled, "Run Won Young! Run!"

 

Min Joo laughed once again at the memory of their first meeting. The two girls were definitely embarrassing and if she were to ever introduce the two to Chae Won -- she would rather not think about it.

Yu Jin opened her mouth to speak once again - most likely to list all the reasons on why the two were not embarrassing - but before she could a loud voice called out to Min Joo and the three girls turned to see Yuri walking up to them with Nako and Hitomi following behind.

"Oh, you two are here too," Yuri said as she glanced at the two younger girls, a hint of disgust on her face. It wasn't like she hated the two girls, it was mostly playing around, but she did find the two slightly annoying in a way that you find your siblings intolerable.

"Yeah, why are you here?" Won Young responded with an attitude as she crossed her arms and leaned back, sending an annoyed look to the older.

"You don't even go here." Yuri retorted.

Won Young sat up, a much more sheepish look on her face.

"Anyway," Yuri said, turning to face Min Joo, "we're all going out to downtown later for our monthly in-the-city hang-out. I'm sure Chae Won is going to tell you if she already hasn't, but just thought I'd let you know. Also, Sakura, Chae Yeon's girlfriend, is back so she'll be there."

Min Joo nodded, sending the girls a smile. Indeed, Chae Won had already told her about their meet up the next day, but she appreciated the other girls letting her know as well. It truly made her feel even more a part of the squad.

"Oooh, can we join?" Won Young asked, eyes lighting up as she leaned in on the desk.

But before anyone could rejected the offer...

"Won Young? Is that you?" A voice suddenly interrupted and the girl who had been all bright and excited only seconds earlier was suddenly fear stricken.

"Oh no, gotta run!" Won Young yelled as she jumped up and sprinted off with the high school's security guard chasing after her.

Yu Jin sighed, shaking her head. "One day -- one day, she won't get caught."

 

To say that Min Joo acted odd every time Spider-Man was even mentioned in the background by some random passerby was an understatement. The first time it happened, back when they were all at their usual hang out and Eun Bi came on screen talking about the scandalous vigilante, they had all just shrugged it off. But that Friday afternoon, they were all walking through the streets of Seoul, going from shop to shop and stopping at a tent to buy a quick snack, when the radio that the old lady had been listening to tuned into the news talking about none other than the infamous vigilante: Spider-Man.

"-the police department states that the prisoners of the gang have all escaped and they left a note behind saying 'Spider-Man, we're coming for you'. They are currently working hard on this case patrolling the streets, going all over the city to catch these guys. But the public wants to know how the hero will save himself from this one, and everyone is very worried tha-"

"Why can't they just let him rest," Min Joo spoke up, bringing the attention to herself.

They had all been staring off into a distance while listening in closely and the girl's sudden words snapped them all out of their daze.

Min Joo had a blank look on her face, they saw, but her eyes were trained on the radio and she was staring a little too intensely for the liking of some of them.

"Who?" Yuri asked, standing at the other side of the small and crowded area at the stand. "The bad guys or the public?"

"Everybody," Min Joo answered, eyes flickering away from the radio, "Spider-Man works so hard every day for the people, but the people only use Spider-Man for the clout. Not to forget, these bad guys are ruthless, how could the police be so careless and let them get away like that?"

Chae Yeon, Hye Won, and Chae Won looked concerned; Sakura, Nako, and Hitomi looked slightly confused -- furrowed eyebrows on their faces as they tried to understand what the girl was getting at; and when Yuri looked over at Yena while stuffing her face with some noodles, she found that the older girl was looking the most unbothered out of them all, also stuffing her mouth and sending her a shrug and a look that said, 'she's not wrong, but oh well.'

"Are you worried about him?" Chae Won asked, seeming a little too concerned for Yena's liking, who just thought this was all too dramatic.

"I suppose," Min Joo spoke, "but he probably won't go out as much now. He might stay in hiding for a while, living under his real identity, until they - those who are out for his blood - get caught again. That, or he'll try to catch them himself and get killed."

Yena's eyes widened at that last part and she began to choke on her noodles right when Min Joo's eyes landed on her. Yuri instantly began to slap her back as Chae Won poured her a drink and Hye Won almost cackled.

"I don't think Spider-Man would be that stupid, right?" Chae Won asked as she looked back at Min Joo when she was assured that Yena was okay, though her hand still lingered on her back.

Min Joo pursed her lips as if she rolled the thought around in her head. Her eyes flickered over to Yena once again. "I don't know. What do you think, Yena?"

Yena who was back to slurping on her noodles froze once more and looked up the girl with raised - confused - eyebrows. "Uh," She said as her eyes flickered over to Chae Won who looked at her with those expectant eyes, and then at Yuri who was snickering at the side.

"I think Spider-Man would definitely be stupid enough," Yuri spoke up, filling in the silence that her best friend had left behind, "I mean, someone who is running around in a suit like that fighting a bunch of bad guys at the cost of their life must already have something wrong with them in the head, right?"

Min Joo stayed silent for a few seconds, almost tight-lipped. Her eyes shifted back and forth between Yena and Yuri and then Chae Won, before her mouth finally opened releasing a small breath. "That's an interesting way of looking at it."

"Well I agree with Yuri," Hye Won spoke up, "someone running around causing perhaps even more trouble than there was before they came along? Where are the braincells?"

"I don't think that was what Yuri was trying to point out," Chae Yeon interjected.

"I don't know, but if you ask me, that Spider-Man guy is rather pretentious," Hye Won finished off her statement.

And no one else spoke another word about Spider-Man after that. Well, for that moment, that was.

The girls continued their night in town after, resuming to window shopping and stopping by another stand here and there because Yena and Hye Won couldn't help themselves. The Japanese girls conversed among themselves at some point; Chae Yeon and Hye Won talked about their upcoming assignments; the Korean 01-line trudged behind as they talked about school related things such as homework, that annoying security guard, and the two girls who always followed Min Joo around; and that left Chae Won and Yena leading the group.

"So," Chae Won had tried to make small talk, but truth be told the two girls hadn't in talked in such a while, the small word came out as an awkward squeak.

Yena only nodded, being as awkward as she could be as well. "Yeah."

Chae Won's eyes flickered up and her gaze met Yena's, corner of her lips curving slightly upwards as she searched her eyes for some sort of sign.

And as expected, Yena was the same as always, joking and playing around to lighten the mood -- and this time was no different.

The thing about Yena was, even though half the time she seemed like she couldn't read the mood, she was actually quite an expert at reading other people's emotions and expressions. She was observant and the wheels in her head were always at work whenever she wasn't talking loudly about how bored or hungry she was.

And right now, Yena knew Chae Won felt awkward. And what better what to make the younger feel less so, than by acting like she was even more awkward than her?

Without needing to mention it out loud, Chae Won smiled as she turned away from the girl once again and began to talk naturally. Yena had given her the cue, letting her know things were same as always, remaining unchanged, and Chae Won took grasp and put it to use.

"They're saying I might finally get to work on the actual broadcasting. You know, go live on reportage and all," was the first thing that came out of Chae Won's mouth as soon as the awkward wave fell. But for some reason, those words only seemed to pull it back up as Yena stopped walking, smile instantly dropping.

Chae Won frowned when she noticed the girl stopped walking besides her and turned to look at her, seeing how the other were catching up to the pair. "What's wrong?"

Yena blinked up, gaze falling short from Chae Won's. "W-what?"

Chae Won didn't repeat herself and instead raised an eyebrow, waiting for the girl to return to her side so they could continue their walk.

"I said I might actually go live, you know? Reporting the news instead of just writing articles about them and posting them on our website. But I have to prove myself worthy first or something like that," Chae Won began to ramble as her hands did a serious of motions, "but I think this is a great step forward because Eun Bi was only twenty the first time she went on air and..."

Yena had zoned off, barely keeping her pace besides Chae Won and slightly nodding along as if her brain was actually processing the words the younger spoke.

Until she couldn't take it anymore and completely stopped her steps. Chae Won slowly came to a halt before her head snapped back and her eyebrows raised in question.

"I-" Yena started, eyes going up to meet the others. "I forgot I have to do this thing back home tonight. My brother will get mad if I don't go. Sorry."

And without allowing the younger to even open her mouth, Yena was turning around and running away, brushing past the others without sparing them any glances.

The group that had been following not far behind all turned to look at Chae Won who was mouth agape.

"Where did she go?" Hitomi asked, but Chae Won could only shake her head as a response, still trying to get a grasp of what just happened.

One moment, Yena was letting her know things weren't awkward between them. And the next, she was telling her she had to go help her brother with something when Chae Won knew for a fact that he had night classes on Friday's.

Taking notice of the incredulity written all over Chae Won's face, Min Joo stepped up and took over the empty spot besides her, sending her a small smile. "I'm sure she had something important to do."

Chae Won seemed to finally regain consciousness when she heard the younger's voice and her head tilted up, a small smile forming on her lips. "Yeah, I guess so."

"So," Min Joo moved the conversation forward, "I heard you are going to be sent out live? As in, you will be reporting the news live just like your sister. Right?"

"Yes," Chae Won smiled brightly - and  _gosh_ Min Joo would kill for that smile - as her mood instantly changed. "It's such a great opportunity, but I'm a little nervous about how to go about it. I mean, reporting the news on television live is so different from reporting the news through my computer."

Min Joo smiled, sending the girl a side-glance. "Trust yourself, like I trust you."

Chae Won almost tripped. Her head slowly moved to the side so she could see the look on the younger's face -- a very genuine and almost fond look that had her turning her head quickly to hide the blush forming in her face.

"I think you're capable of doing great out there," Min Joo said, "do you trust me?"

Chae Won looked to her side once again, but she didn't look away this time when she caught the sincere look on Min Joo's face. Her eyes scanned her face and observed her gaze. "Yes."

"Then you should trust yourself," Min Joo smiled. And this time Chae Won did look away, feeling like she might start sweating any moment now if the younger did not stop with that stare.

"Okay," Chae Won spoke with a firm nod, "I'll trust myself."

"Good." Min Joo spoke.

Chae Won opened her mouth to say something else, but the sound of loud sirens and alarms going off a couple of blocks down made the entire group come to a stop.

"What the hell is going on?" Chae Yeon asked as the group reemerged from behind them.

"Looks like a robbery," Yuri said as she tried to jump on Nako's back before getting kicked to the side.

"I have to go," Min Joo suddenly said, eyes lingering on the sight before she turned to look at the girl who was already giving her a confused look. "Like I said, I don't like violence."

"O-okay," Chae Won said, though she didn't completely understand. But before she could ask anything else, the girl was already running away giving Chae Won a sense of deja-vu.

"Can we go closer? I can't see anything," Yuri said as she hopped besides Nako who was standing on her tippy toes.

"If you jump on me _one more time_ ," Hye Won said through gritted teeth as she sent the girl a look.

"Do you think Spider-Man will show up?" Sakura asked, which gained the attention of the entire group -- Chae Won especially.

The reporter of the group almost tripped from turning around so fast at the words. "Oh my gosh, this could be my chance!"

"Are you going to-" Chae Yeon began, but before she could finish her question, Chae Won was already running down the street and heading off into whatever trouble there was occurring.

"Is this the part where we follow her, or the part where we ditch her?" Yuri spoke up after a few seconds of silence.

 

Time and time again, Chae Won had chased after Spider-Man. Time and time again, she had just barely missed the action, missed the interviews, missed _him_.

But this time would be different for the girl -- she hoped.

With all the commotion going around straight in the middle of the city, Chae Won was sure the vigilante was to show up any second now. And if she could just manage to not get pushed to the side by the crowd of people who were all trying to get a view of what was happening at the bank, then she would have her perfect front-row seat.

"Is that Spider-Man?!"

The girl's head snapped around and her eyes widened the slightest when she saw the self-proclaimed superhero swinging through the night from building to building until he landed right in front of Chae Won with his back facing her. The reporter was astonished.

Spider-Man - _The_ Spider-Man - was standing (really it was more crouching) right in front of her, ready to fight the bad guys that were standing at the foot of the entrance to the bank.

"I'm going to need everyone to stay back!" Spider-Man shouted, though he didn't sound too stern. More like, he was getting ready to play? "Things are about to get messy."

Chae Won almost smiled, but she quickly realized everyone was stepping back, so she did too as she held on tight to the bag that hung over her shoulder.

"Aren't you the same guys I fought last time? Or are there even more idiots on this planet?" Spider-Man asked the bad guys with a playful tone and-  _Huh_. He _did_ use a voice modifier because that really didn't sound like a real human voice. It wasn't as robotic as Chae Won thought it would be. But it didn't sound like his real voice.

"Always so cocky,  _Spider-Man_ ," one if the guys spat when he mentioned the vigilante's name.

"I wouldn't say I'm cocky, perhaps just a little confident." Spider-Man said with a small shrug, and Chae Won was really just in awe at how playful he was during his fights.

"Well why don't you put that confidence to test then?"

"My pleasure."

And just like that, the guys began to launch at Spider-Man who in returned did a flip and ended up behind them and began to kick them all. It was quite a sight, truly, and Chae Won had to make herself snap out if it so she could take out her phone and record the entire thing.

A few kicks here, a few punches there, and a couple of webs was all it took for the great hero to defeat the bad guys and have them webbed up against the walls if the building. But as he began to count, the amount of guys, he realized there was one missing and began to scan the area.

That was when something in her peripheral vision caught her attention and Chae Won's head turned in result to see one of the guys standing not so far, holding a gun and aiming at the savior.

It seemed like the hero could sense it because he shivered and turned around almost instantly before Chae Won even had the chance to fully yell out his name. And right as the bullet shot, the hero was able to perform another successful flip while shooting a web in the air that instantly pulled the gun away from the guy.

"Wow man, a gun? I'm kind of offended you decided to cheat that way," Spider-Man joked as he began to kick the guy. "If you use a gun that really leaves me at a disadvantage."

"Spider-Man the one at a disadvantage?" The guy spat. "Don't joke around like that."

"You're right." The hero said as he took a step back, getting ready to web up the guy as his eyes scanned the crowd once again. "I always have the advantage."

And with those last words, Spider-Man shot out a web when--

In that moment, Chae Won was just as confused as everyone else standing in the crowd, because what happened next was so unpredictable, even she who typically never watched these scenes first-hand was sure something was off.

See, what should have happened is that Spider-Man should have webbed up the guy and finished off this crime battle. The police should have showed up to arrest them as he talked to the crowed before webbing away as usual.

But what happened was -- The vigilante who always seemed to have everything under control, after doing a scan of the crowd, froze up. He didn't shoot any webs, and stood frozen on the spot, causing the bad guy to run up to him, kick him, and take the gun back before pointing it at him.

The crowd gasped before silence fell over the area. Spider-Man was on the floor, completely helpless, this time with not advantage on his side, while the robber stood in front of him holding him at gunpoint.

No one spoke, as if they were all being held at gunpoint as well -- which it really felt like for Chae Won. She didn't even realize she had been holding her breath in the entire time until someone shouted from behind, "Freeze and drop your weapon!"

Chae Won felt her heart drop back to a normal rate as soon as she turned her head to see the policemen standing besides the crowd, both holding up weapons of their own. The guy did as told and the police wasted no time running up to him to handcuff him along with the others.

And while the bad guys were all being taken off, Chae won's eyes trailed back to the infamous vigilante who was standing up and dusting himself. The girl wasn't sure if it was because he had super senses that allowed him to feel danger and whatever, or if it was just the human instinct to feel others staring at you -- but he instantly looked up. Of course, with that mask it as hard to tell if he was directly looking at you or not - and Chae Won wouldn't lie, it was probably just her hoping that he was - but the entire crowd seemed to be more focused on the capture of the robbers and the direction he was looking in was too close to her and--

He webbed away.

No talking to the police, not talking to the crowd, not interview with the reporters -- Spider-Man webbed away almost as if he were too ashamed or disappointed.

And Chae Won just couldn't understand the situation at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think it's been a little over a week since my first update? I didn't want to update too fast after the first update. I also have another, much longer, story that I am also working on at the moment. But, I have already started working on chapter 3 so maybe I'll update in a week? I'm not sure, but thank you for reading!
> 
> -J


	3. Their Vigilante, Her Hero

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Was she, perhaps, infatuated with the hero?
> 
> Oh no.
> 
> That couldn't be, right? Chaewon couldn't possibly be infatuated with her rescuer. That was, well, it made sense, right? Growing interest in the person that saved you was completely valid. Right.
> 
> Even so, it was just interest. Completely harmless.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TW/ almost kidnap scene further into the chapter, it's not too serious, but just in case.

Chaewon couldn't stop thinking. She couldn't stop thinking about Spider-man and the situation from a week ago when she had finally been able to see him up close in action, only to have everything go wrong and --

"Chaewon?"

The girl's head snapped back and her sight landed on the newly pink-haired girl who stood at the foot of the door, smiling at her.

Chaewon felt her heart drop when she saw Minjoo standing there, looking gorgeous as ever with her new hair color. It wasn't like she didn't know Minjoo had pink hair now, for the girl had told her a few days ago she was feeling risky with her hair. But when Chaewon had heard the girl would be going for a more florescent pink, she just couldn't see it. Also, the whole Spider-Man situation was the only thing occupying her mind lately, and the younger's hair plans had been pushed out.

So, to say the least, Chaewon was flustered.

"Do you like it?"

Minjoo tilted her head, making her hair long hair fall off her shoulders.

Chaewon could only nod in response and watch as the younger walked over to sit across from her at the edge of her bed. The older cleared her throat, finally pulling her eyes away from her and turning back to the work on her desk that she had definitely not been working on before the other got there.

"It looks very good." Chaewon had to use every force in her to sound stable and act like the change of color didn't make her feel weak.

Minjoo smiled, satisfied with the answer, but the older did not notice.

"So, are you going to tell me what's had you so distracted lately?" Minjoo asked, tilting her head so she could get a better look at Chaewon's face. The older flushed.

"What do you mean?"

Minjoo rolled her eyes, scooting back on the bed until she was leaning against the wall. Her eyes trailed the older's face and she sighed. "Do you think we haven't noticed? You've been acting weird ever since last Friday. What happened that day?"

Chaewon froze midway writing down some equations. She bit her bottom lip, before going back to writing and attempting to finish her work. But she was distracted. She was so distracted all the numbers in front of her blurred and she couldn't remember for the love of God what a log was. Releasing a long breath, she placed her pencil down gently and leaned back in her chair.

"I don't know, Minjoo. It was all so weird. One moment he was winning, and the next he was-"

A vision flashed through Chaewon's head and she could see that moment so vividly. The moment when she made eye contact with the notorious vigilante and -- had she even made eye contact with him? Or was it all some figment of her imagination, something that she made up all on her own because she couldn't handle the idea of him hating her? But she was not one to make things up like that. Chaewon knew what she saw, and what she was the questionable hero staring back at her before getting beat to a pulp and being forced to swing off in shame.

So the question was, why? Why had he looked at her like that? Out of everyone in the crowd, why had it been her? It wasn't like he could have recognized her in any way, even as a news reporter because he was always swinging away by the time she came along. Perhaps, she was just that beautiful? Chaewon instantly shook her head, scratching the idea. This wasn't some movie.

Besides, Spider-Man could be, like, fifty or something. Okay, maybe not fifty, but old. Then again, if he had superpowers, he really could be old, because the superpowers wouldn't depend on his age. Maybe the superpowers could make him healthy for his age, so really, he could be like seventy. Oh _no_ , that would be weird.

Chaewon shook her head once again, this time in stronger refusal.

Minjoo raised an eyebrow, confused by the girl's actions. "Chaewon?"

Chaewon's head snapped back once again, and any remaining questions she had about the vigilante dwindled away.

"What?" The question came rather soft and confused.

And then it hit Chaewon that Minjoo had asked her a question which she did not answer properly. She had gotten too carried away with her thoughts. Perhaps this whole Spider-Man thing really was getting to her.

"Uhm, I'm sorry," Chaewon responded, "but this whole Spider-Man thing hasn't left my mind since Friday and I think it might just be the stress of everything."

Minjoo pouted, feeling empathetic towards her friend. She knew Chaewon had been going through a lot of stress lately: Her internship, Spider-Man, school, etc. And she only wished to help her.

And just then, an idea popped into the younger's head and she turned to the older with beaming eyes. "I got it, why don't we celebrate you getting promoted?"

Chaewon's whole demeanor changed and the gloomy mood was suddenly gone. Because of how distracted she had been lately, she had forgotten about her promotion.

After finally being able to see Spider-Man in action the previous week, Chaewon went home and typed all night of the event, finally being able to write her long-awaited article on the scandalous hero, earning herself that promotion that would enable her to do live reporting. And it helped that the reportage was so different from the usual -- with Spider-Man almost getting killed and all.

"I haven't even told anyone else but you. I still can't believe it." Chaewon spoke, a soft, genuine, smile easing its way onto her face.

Minjoo smiled back. "I told you that promotion would be yours, remember? I told you to trust me."

"I should do that more often."

And the two girls smiled.

 

* * *

 

It had been exactly a week since Chaewon last saw Yena and, she would not lie, she missed her friend. Having the older in her life was such a natural presence, she hadn't realized how big it was until lately that she would go missing for days - _weeks_ \- at a time, with no notice only to reappear once again with no explanation of any sort. And no one would really question it too much outside of the normal 'Oh, you finally showed up to our hangouts again' or 'Is it school? Is it stressing you out too much?'

Honestly, it was starting to make Chaewon feel guilty. She wasn't sure if it was because she didn't know what was going on with her friend lately, or if it was because slowly, the more she hung out with Minjoo, the more she began to wonder less about the other's whereabouts. She still missed her, of course, but the presence of Minjoo was comforting enough to fill up the emptiness in the air.

Still, the missing presence was strong. She hadn't noticed it before, but Yena and Chaewon spent quite a lot of time together, even when no words were spoken. Whether it was waiting in line together to get coffee before having to head in different directions, or sitting beside each other in the library in silence while getting their work done, or just smiling at each other from across the hall in between classes -- the missing presence was there.

And yet, she couldn't come to question the older - interrogate her - on why she was always going missing. Why she was distancing herself lately. Why she couldn't answer her calls or texts. She thought about doing those things, sure, but there was something about actually acting on them that scared her. Perhaps she was scared that it would make her seem pushy? Clingy? Invading? Or maybe she was scared that she could come off the wrong way...

Chaewon took in a deep breath, releasing the hem of her shirt and standing straight, leaning away from the lockers.

The students began to walk out of the classroom, and Chaewon turned sharply to face the door, watching every person trickle out of the room. The crowd of students died down and only a few students were left exiting the large lecture room. And then the last student walked out onto the hall, and Chaewon felt a thud.

Yena looked awful. The bags under her eyes, the slouching of her entire body, the dragging feet -- everything about her screamed exhaustion.

"Yena," She breathed out.

The older girl stopped mid step, holding herself back from turning the corner. She stood frozen in place, her ponytail swinging slowly until it stopped.

Chaewon heard a sigh and watched as Yena turned around slowly, her gaze remaining on the floor until she finally dared to make eye contact. Chaewon scanned her from head down in disbelief, millions of thoughts running through her mind -- but they all essentially narrowed down to, 'What the hell happened to her?'

"Are you okay?"

Yena was quick to nod, avoiding eye contact once again. And for that, Chaewon was thankful, because her gaze felt heavy that day.

"Yeah, just, you know, school and all. I'm failing a class so that's really wearing me down, I haven't been avoiding you and the others you know, I've just been trying to catch up on work, so I haven't been going to the hangouts or been responding texts or calls and, uh, yeah." Yena was rambling -- it was an act she did whenever she was lying or trying to cover something up.

Chaewon  _knew_  that. She knew it so well, but yet -- she couldn't bring herself to ask more.

"So, it's nice to see you," Yena said, finally looking back up at Chaewon. Her gaze remained strong.

The younger nodded and smiled in response.

"Uhm, did you want to ask something or...?"

"Oh!" Chaewon snapped, remembering her whole motivation behind hunting the older girl down. She grinned excitedly. And she hoped the news would push the awkward atmosphere to the side and turn things over to the way they used to be. "Guess what?"

Yena's whole demeanor changed when she saw the look of excitement on the younger's face. It was energizing, in a way, to see the younger beam brightly like that.

"What?"

"When you left Friday, Spider-Man came along and I was able to finally see him up front in action and get a recording of it! I wrote a whole article on it and got that promotion! I'm going live! I was going to tell you before but you weren't answering -- oh! And we're all celebrating tonight at my place after I get out of work."

Yena's expression changed once again, the smile dropping from her face in a matter of seconds. Chaewon frowned, the grin disappearing off her face when she saw the other's drift.

"You're actually going to be reporting live?" It was a mumble of disbelief? A refusal of acknowledgement? Devastation?

"Why do you sound so disappointed?" Chaewon asked, feeling every last hope of the old Yena coming back vanishing from her body.

Yena's eyes closed and she shook her head. "I- I'm not."

"Yes, you are," Chaewon spoke, sounding more demanding than she wanted to, "you didn't want me to get this promotion, did you? Why?"

Yena shook her head once again. "No, Chaewon, it's not that, but-" Her eyes closed once again. Yena was frustrated with herself for not being able to answer, and Chaewon was growing irritated for the same reason.

"See, you can't even answer." It was soft, but it was harsh. "Look, Yena, I don't know what the hell has been up with you lately because you're always disappearing and making me worry, but then you don't give any explanations and-" Chaewon wasn't sure what she was rambling, but she kept talking and talking, and she finally sighed. "Just, don't take your frustrations out on me, okay? You know how big this is for me and you could have at least acted excited for me. I don't even know why it disappoints you so much to see me this happy but -- just talk to me when you're ready to go back to your old self, okay?."

Yena opened her mouth to say something else, but the older turned and walked away without giving her a chance to explain. Not like Yena would have been able to explain anyway.

 

* * *

 

The sun had just set down when Chaewon got out of work and began to make her way home where she was to have a small celebration with her sister and her friends. Eunbi had been so excited, she had headed out of work early to buy food and drinks. And her friends were even more excited than her, only because they were ready to drink that Friday night. Well, those who could drink anyway.

But Chaewon wasn't excited. Minjoo had noticed when she walked her to work after class earlier that day, and she had asked her what was wrong. Chaewon didn't even need to answer for the younger to know it was Yena. She didn't know exactly what happened, but she said she had a feeling the two were falling out lately.

Chaewon only nodded and sighed in response, not going into detail about what happened. She didn't know why, but she just didn't feel comfortable enough to rant about Yena to the younger. Something about it felt morally wrong, and she didn't understand why. Chaewon didn't understand much these days.

As she walked home on her own, she began to think about it in even more depth.

What was going on between her and Yena? What was going on between her and Minjoo?

Chaewon felt like she knew. But she was so confused, did she really know anything at all?

Well, starting off, Chaewon probably had a thing for Minjoo. She had liked her years ago, when they were younger, but over the years the small crush had dwindled and faded, and now she was confused because the sight of the younger in pink hair was enough to make her feel weak all around. But was that just lingering feelings? Was it like one of those things where you can never fully get over someone until you move on to the next person, even if you don't necessarily feel the same way anymore? Or was her old crush rekindling? It was probably too early to tell, but Chaewon could already guess in what direction these strange feelings were heading.

Now, Yena. She was a whole other thing. Chaewon was quite aware now that the older made her feel secure in a way that no one else - except maybe Minjoo - could. One of those feelings where just her presence was enough comfort. Not even having to tell her what was wrong, but just having her there. It was a breath of relief.

But that presence was gone, and it made Chaewon see things differently. The missing presence had put a new filter over their friendship, and Chaewon was starting to see things she hadn't before. For example, the heavy gaze. What was up with that? Had it always been there? When Yena had it earlier, it was so strong and felt so jarring.

It was as if Yena had more depth. Of course, she was human, so she had depth. But something that Chaewon hadn't seen before. It didn't seem like the Yena she knew. The look in her eyes was so strong, a ray shinning through all of the exhaustion she exuded, and it made it seem like Yena had deep thoughts running through her mind. But what kind of thoughts? Maybe--

Chaewon felt every muscle in her body tense up and she stood completely frozen.

Someone was following her.

She wasn't sure how she knew, but she did. It was some kind of intuition. She also wasn't sure for how long, but seeing how distracted she had been lately, the person could have been following her since she got out of work.

Chaewon's fight or flight response kicked in and she began to scan the area, her surroundings, for some kind of escape, a third party, a weapon, any sign of hope.

But perhaps she was overthinking this? Perhaps she was just on edge from everything that had been happening lately. Yes, that was what it was.

And with that thought in mind, Chaewon turned around the corner, a small wave of ease crossing her, only to be destroyed when she heard the heavy footsteps continue behind her. She shook her head, trying to convince herself she was nothing more than paranoid because of anxiety.

And she made another turn. The footsteps were only louder and closer and Chaewon began to scan her surroundings once again.

She just had to cut through the neighborhood instead of taking the bus, huh?

There was nothing. Absolutely nothing.

She was walking down a street of apartment complexes and the next turn would have another similar street. It would be that way until she reached the main road that led straight home. If she ever reached it...

Chaewon shook her head and slowly took out her phone, trying to remain as causal as possible. Her eyes trailed down and she began to scan through her contacts, trying to be quick as possible. Her eyes landed on Yuri's name and she quickly dialed, remembering she lived somewhere in the area.

There was a ring, and then Yuri's voice came along. "Hey, Chaewon, we're still getting ready for the party and-"

"I think I'm being followed." It was a whispered cry.

There was silence on the other side of the line, and Chaewon was starting to wonder if the younger heard her whisper.

"Oh my gosh, Chaewon, where are you?"

"I'm in your neighborhood, I'm not sure what street, I can't see and I'm too scared to turn." At that point, Chaewon was just trying to not have her voice crack. Because she knew, as soon as it did, she would break down into sobs and lose every last bit of stability that remained in her body.

"Chaewon, I'm not home right now, I'm with Chaeyeon and the others right now at the store," Yuri responded, and Chaewon could tell she was trying to sound calm, but there was an undertone of panic that she was able to pick up. And it didn't help Chaewon's state.

"I'll call 911," Yuri responded.

Chaewon could only nod at that rate, even though she was well aware that the girl couldn't see that. But the mention of calling the cops just made her even more aware of how dangerous the situation was and at that point, if she would spoke she would cry.

"Just stay calm, I'm going to put you on hold and then I'm going to call the cops, okay? Just stay calm and don't make any sudden movements."

Chaewon nodded just as she turned the corner once again. She tried to remain as quiet as she could, but her heartbeat was pulsing through her veins and she could hear it so strong, ringing through her ears. Her hands were sweaty and her vision was blurry. Her breathing was rapid and if it were just a little more unsteady, she would not be able to hear the footsteps.

But they remained loud and clear, trailing not far behind her and getting even closer with every step.

Chaewon looked back down at her phone. Yuri hadn't put her off hold yet. With shaking fingers she began to trace every single contact, going past Chaeyeon, Minjoo, Eunbi, and everyone else until she found herself reaching for Yena's contact in her favorites list.

She held the phone up to her ear, and it rang. It rang. It rang. It rang...

There was no answer. "Yena," Her voice came out as a cracked whisper, "please."

A tear trickled down Chaewon's face as her steps became slower. She felt weak. Every last bit of energy had drianed away, andshe couldn't stop the tears anymore. She didn't even have it in her to wipe them away, and soon they trailed all the way down to her shirt.

Chaewon finally stopped walking, just about ready to fall down to the ground. The footsteps stopped and she closed her eyes, ready for the worst to come.

But it didn't.

Instead she heard a loud swoosh right by her and her eyes snapped open. She turned around and right before her, there was Spider-Man. Right above the guy who had been chasing her all that time.

Chaewon was speechless and she had to wipe away her tears and blink several times to make sure she wasn't seeing things.

But under the light from the lamppost, there was Spider-Man questioning the guy. She couldn't even hear what he was saying because the ringing was still loud in her ears and she just felt so weak and-- were those sirens she heard?

Chaewon fell down to her knees, letting out a shaky breath of relief. The sirens sounded loud and Chaewon was backed up against a brick wall, trying to get balance once again as she watched the car cops pull at the scene. Some officers got out and ran over to Spider-Man and the guy. They began to question them both, but Chaewon couldn't pay attention for she was being questioned as well. Except it was less of an interrogation compared to what they were asking the others. And she was being asked all sorts of questions about her condition.

"I'm fine, I just want to go home." Chaewon finally responded once she got tired of all the questions. She glanced back over at her hero who, for some reason, hadn't swung away yet.

The hero looked back over and, excusing himself from the crowd of cops, walked over to her.

Chaewon's breath stopped when she heard his voice - robot voice - speak to her for the first time ever.

"Are you okay?"

Chaewon couldn't respond. She could only stare at her hero, a look of both disbelief and astonishment on her face. He wasn't as tall as she expected up close. He also wasn't very muscular. And the suit wasn't very astonishing either.

But there was something about her saviour that felt so familiar, and she had to wonder if it was because he had just saved her.

"Are you... okay?"

Chaewon wasn't sure what hit her differently about the question this time. She wasn't sure if it was because the question didn't process properly the first time, or if it was because she could hear the worry through the robotic tone. But whatever it was, it hit different and she almost fell down to her knees crying only to be held by the hero.

"Oh my gosh." It was barely even a whisper, but Chaewon heard his disbelief so clearly. Was it that shocking that she was crying?

"I don't think you're okay."

It was a simple sentence, just a few words, but for some reason they made her laugh. A little laugh. And before she knew it, she was laughing and crying into the Spider-Man's shoulder, alternating between muffled sobs and laughs of disbelief while he patted her back.

She began to shake her head as she finally calmed and pulled away. "I'm sorry."

"You were almost kidnaped and now you're apologizing?" Spider-Man asked, sounding confused at her apology.

Chaewon wiped the last remaining tears away, almost laughing at his response. "I'm sorry I stained your suit."

Spider-Man looked down at his shoulder before looking back up and shrugging. "I can just get it dry-cleaned."

Chaewon laughed again, and at this rate she thought either he was a comedian, she was whipped, or the whole situation had been so much that it made her crazy. Probably that last one.

"Thank you."

Spider-Man shook his head. "No, you don't have to thank me. It was the least I could do as a human being."

Chaewon smiled, eyes trailing down to the ground before she realized something and looked back up. "How did you know I was in danger?"

Spider-Man stiffened and he began to scratch the back of his neck. "Well, you see--"

"Chaewon!"

The two turned around at the loud voices approaching, calling out to Chaewon.

Eunbi and Yuri were running up to her with Chaeyeon, Hyewon, Sakura, and she wasn't able to see if anyone else followed, because before she could even open her mouth she was being sandwiched by her sister, followed by everyone else.

"My baby sister, I was so worried sick!" Eunbi cried, pulling Chaewon against her harder. "Yuri called the cops and we weren't even near because we were getting the drinks and everything and so we had to-"

Chaewon didn't hear what else her sister rambled on about because she began to look around for one person in particular. Her sister loosened her hold and she was finally able to escape her grasp. She scanned her friends, not hearing what they were saying.

"And then we left Hitomi and Nako because there wasn't any room and-"

"Where's Minjoo?"

Yuri stopped talking and raised her eyebrows in response. "What?"

"She didn't go shopping with us." Chaeyeon said with a shake of her head. "She said she would meet up with us at your place because she had to do some things first."

Chaewon nodded and turned around to face her savior once again, ready to thank him before they had to part ways. But that was when she realized he had disappeared off into the night without so much as a goodbye some time in between when her friends arrived and that moment.

"Did you girls see where he went?" Chaewon asked, looking around one last time, though she knew he was long gone already.

The girls stopped talking once again, and Eunbi walked over to her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "Who, Chaewon?"

"Spider-Man, he saved me."

Hyewon and Sakura gasped, their hands going up to their mouths; Chaeyeon's mouth dropped; And Yuri was blank.

Eunbi frowned, looking around the place before turning back to her sister. "We didn't see him. I thought you were talking to a cop."

Chaewon shook her head slowly. "No, he was here. And he saved me. But he didn't even say goodbye."

The girls all exchanged a glance before turning back to Chaewon.

And just like that, the dire moment passed and soon they were all talking about how they needed to pick up Hitmo and Nako from the store. And they all walked over to Eunbi's car, only to realize there wasn't room enough for all of them with Chaewon joining, resulting in Yuri having to sit on the floor of the car because she lost the bet.

And when they reached the apartment that night - after picking up Hitomi and Nako - which only worsened the car situation - they found Minjoo standing at the door, holding a little gift bag that she instantly dropped when she saw Chaewon. She walked over to the girl and embraced in a hug, a breath of relief excaping her lips when she was in her hold.

Chaewon assumed someone told her what happened.

"Are you okay?" Minjoo asked, not releasing her hold on the older.

Chaewon hugged the girl back. "Yeah. I am now."

 

* * *

 

If Chaewon was distracted before because of Spider-Man, she was in complete mind-block now. There were so many unanswered questions in her head that she could find no solution to. How did he know to save her? Sure, he could have been swinging by - or whatever it was that Spider-Man's did - and have seen her discomfort, but did that make much sense? Only if she didn't think about it too much. But Chaewon couldn't do that. She had to think, she had to wonder. The wheels in her head kept turning and turning to no avail.

What was funniest about the situation was Chaewon's new desire to talk to Spider-Man. Not an interview in front of the cameras for some useless article that would get buried by the other endless articles on the vigilante, but a private conversation. One that would answer her questions. And, perhaps, allow her to get to know him better. It was really crazy when she thought about it, because all this time she had only trash-talked the guy for ignoring her and for seemingly hating her. But now she was left with this desire to get to know him better. Know his motivations for saving the people of the nation.

Was she, perhaps, infatuated with the hero?

Oh  _no_.

That couldn't be, right? Chaewon couldn't possibly be infatuated with her rescuer. That was, well, it made sense, right? Growing interest in the person that saved you was completely valid. Right.

Even so, it was just interest. Completely harmless.

With that in mind, Chaewon nodded, reassuring herself that she wasn't too interested in her rescuer, while admitting that it was okay if it was only a little.

And now that the Spider-Man situation was solved - or shelved for the time being - her mind drifted off elsewhere; To the person who had disappointed her that night.

Chaewon's eyes drifted from the window to the center of the living room where her friends were playing some drinking games while talking about who knows what. She looked back out the window, shifting her position at the windowsill so she could get a clearer view of the moon.

Yena, where were you tonight?

When Chaewon needed her the most, in a dire time of fear and desperation, where had she been? Had their fight been that serious to the point where she ignored her call? It was a Friday night. Those nights were always reserved for their hangouts, even if they did have a lot of work to do. So what had Yena been up to that she couldn't answer? Studying? Chaewon scoffed at the idea, taking a sip of her beer can.

"Is it Yena?"

Chaewon's head perked up, eyes locking with Minjoo's instantly. She sighed and looked back out the window. "Where was she tonight, that she couldn't answer my call? I left her a voicemail and everything and -- she hasn't even texted me."

Minjoo looked at her with pitying eyes. Chaewon could tell she didn't know what to say in that moment to comfort her, and she didn't mind. No matter what Minjoo were to say, Chaewon knew nothing would bring her comfort besides at least one text. Just one text was all she asked for. Yena didn't even have to ask if she was okay and she didn't even have to know what happened. But one text, even if it was a lame excuse on why she couldn't answer, was all Chaewon asked for.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there," Minjoo said, taking a seat at the couch besides the windowsill. "I was getting you this."

Chaewon's eyes flickered down to the object that was being handed over. It was a bracelet, very similar to the one that Minjoo wore on her left wrist.

"When we were kids we always talked about getting matching friendship bracelets." Minjoo said, staring down at the bracelet before looking back up to meet Chaewon's gaze, a hopeful look in her eyes.

The older girl smiled and took hold of the bracelet, ready to put it on when -- the doorbell rang.

Chaewon's head whipped back and she glanced at Eunbi who was already standing up to answer. Her eyes remained on her sister who looked through the peephole before turning to look back at her. An unreadable expression crossed her face and she her head nudged towards the door, letting her know it was for her before going back to her place on the couch.

Chaewon looked at Minjoo who only shrugged, before standing up and walking over to the door. She looked through the peehole and her heart did not hesitate to do a thing when she saw Yena standing there, head facing the ground. She opened the door and the older immedaitely looked up, glassy eyes locking with hers.

Yena barely gave Chaewon enough time to close the door behind her before practically jumping on her.

"I'm so sorry I wasn't there, I really am, I really wish I could have been there for you, but there's just been so much happening lately and I didn't hear your voicemail, I promise you I didn't and I've been really scared lately because our friendship has been falling out and I can't imagine losing you and you mean so much to me Chaewon, if anything had happened to you today I don't know how I would have lived with myself knowing our last conversation was a fight because I love you and I'm really sorry."

Chaewon's hand had been going up to pat Yena's back to reassure her it was okay, when a specific word got stuck in her head and she suddenly couldn't remember anything that had happened within the past week and she stood frozen in Yena's embrace.

"W-what?" Chaewon stuttered, just barely above a whisper.

Yena suddenly let the girl go and looked at her with a frown and tear stained cheeks. "What?" She repeated in confusion.

"Uh, you said that you - uhm - that you--" Chaewon couldn't say it and she wasn't so sure why the word just couldn't roll off naturally.

But she didn't need to say it, because the older was quick to realize what she had just said and began to shake her head instantly. "Oh, that, uh, yeah. I mean, you're my friend and we've been together since we were barely teenagers and now we're growing into adults so we're close and all, so, uh, yeah."

Chaewon nodded, deciding it'd be best for both of them to let that word go in that moment. So, she chose to change the topic. "How did you find out what happened?"

"Yuri called me and when I didn't pick up, she called my brother." Yena shrugged, stuffing her hands into her hoodie. "I was studying and stuff, you know."

Chaewon nodded, forcing herself not to question as to not ruin the moment. "I'm really glad you came."

It was as sincere and genuine as could be.

"Your presence just... makes things better."

Yena smiled, but it faded quickly for her eyes began to water and she had to tilt her head up so tears wouldn't roll down.

Chaewon frowned and her reflexes kicked in and she was ready to take hold of Yena's hand to ask her what was wrong.

But the older girl was quick to explain, tired of hiding things for so long.

"Chaewon, I- I have been going through a lot lately."

The younger girl nodded, signaling for the other to continue.

"And it's hard, really. And it's scary and it's lonely and, you know me, I'm  a big bay who's scared of everything."

Yena paused for Chaewon's reaction, a soft giggle.

"But I think I have it under control right now. Even if it is a burden, sometimes, I think for now, I can handle it."

Chaewon nodded again, feeling teary-eyed herself all of a sudden without understand why.

"You were right when you said I have been distant and I have been pushing everyone away, and I disappear without notice only to come back and act like it's nothing and I have been taking it all out on you guys. Chaewon, I am so happy you got that promotion because you are so hardworking and you deserve it, but I'm scared."

Chaewon's eyebrows raised and she reached out for the older girl's hands, holding them tight in her own. "Why?"

"Because, that Spider-man guy is dangerous. What he does is dangerous and I am always thankful you're nowhere near that, but last week you saw what happened. He lost control and that guy almost shot him and you were right there and--"

"How do you know that?"

"I read your article. I always do."

Chaewon didn't know why she was so surprised at the piece of information. It made sense, right? That a close friend of hers would read her articles but -- they were never major headlines and she never pushed her friends to read them and for some reason that really melted her heart. It was a kind action of friendship. But then she realized Yena had said something else that she didn't acknowledge because she had been to focused on the thought of her friend reading her articles.

"You think Spider-Man is dangerous?"

Yena nodded.

"You know he saved me tonight, right?"

"Yeah, Yuri told me. But, Chaewon, see, that's why I'm scared. He fights crime and bad guys and stuff and you're so tiny and fragile and you're stubborn and you want to report everything, but what if one day he messes up and something goes wrong and you're right there and you get-- I don't want to say it."

Chaewon didn't know why the older's worries brought such a warm feeling, and she didn't hesitate in expressing it. Without saying anything, she pulled the older close and embraced her in a tight hug, burying her head into her neck.

Yena chuckled in disbelief. "Usually I'm the one clinging on to you."

Chaewon snorted. "Shut up and hug me back, you big baby."

"I'm not a big baby."

"You said it yourself just now."

"I refuse to acknowledge that, it was a moment of weakness."

Chaewon giggled and shook her head, but she did not pull away. "You don't have to worry about me. Although I'm stubborn, I'm cautious. You trust me, right?"

"I trust you, but not Spider-Man."

Chaewon rolled her eyes, finally pulling away from Yena. She looked at her, scanning her pouting face. Wow, she missed that. _This_.

"I think I trust Spider-Man," Chaewon said, a soft smile tracing her lips. "And if I trust him, you should to."

Yena rolled her eyes but did not argue.

"Anyway, I think we should head in now."

Chaewon turned around to head for the door, Yena's hand clasped in her own. But when she couldn't feel the older move behind her, she turned around and saw her standing there, bitting her bottom lip. She let go of her hand a raised a questioning eyebrow.

But Yena didn't say anything and let the sound of sirens in the distance, meowing cats, honking cars, and muffled crickets fill the silence of the night.

"I can't."

Chaewon stood straight, feeling her body tense up at the older's words. "What do you mean? I thought we were better-"

"Chaewon," Yena sighed, "I told you I carry a big burden, and I know I said I can handle it, but it doesn't mean it's not there and--"

"I don't get it," Chaewon said with a shake of her head, growing a little irritated at the lack of clarification.

Yena took in a deep breath and released. "I can't tell you everything now. But I want you to wait for me -- for when I'm ready to tell you everything. Can you do that? Wait for me?"

Chaewon nodded. She wasn't sure what made her change her mood so quickly, diluting her irritability, but she was guessing it had something to do with that heavy gaze that had settled over Yena's face once again. And she nodded once again, because she was. She was willing to wait for whatever burden it was that Yena carried.

"Of course. I'll wait."

"I have to go now," Yena said, letting go of Chaewon's hands. She turned around and began to head for the stairs, but not without sending the girl one last glance.

Chaewon sighed once the older was gone.

 _Later._  She would think about this later.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A very long awaited chapter! I am so sorry I have not updated in a while, classes for the summer began at the beginning of the month, but I finish two classes next week so then I'll have time once again.
> 
> I wrote the first half in one sitting, and the second half in another.
> 
> I hope it's good? And not rushed? Idk, but I was really feeling it, so I wrote a lot and I just hope there aren't too many typos.
> 
> Anyway, thank you for reading!
> 
>  
> 
> -J


	4. Intuition, a Sense

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Well hello to you too, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man," Chaewon said quite sarcastically.
> 
> "I don't know who gave me that title," Spider-Man said quite honestly.
> 
> "It was my sister, when she wrote her first ground-breaking article thanks to you, long ago," Chaewon said, almost snorting at the turn of events.

Chaewon should have been a fool for thinking her friendship with Yena would be restored after that night. She should have known that when Yena said she couldn't celebrate with them, despite Chaewon's life having been in danger earlier that day and her obvious need of a friend at her side. Still, what truly made her a fool was the action of waiting.

That night, Yena had told her to wait for her. Without knowing what the girl was talking about, and without asking any questions, Chaewon agreed. Was she that desperate to rescue what remained of their dwindling friendship? Perhaps she was. So, why did she still feel guilt every time she passed by Yena in the hall and saw the older's under circles contrasting the smile she sent in her direction?

Chaewon knew why. It was because, despite how pained Yena looked that night, stripping herself bare for the younger to understand her distance, Chaewon didn't question. She didn't ask her what was wrong, what burden the older girl carried that weighed down on her back so much to the point where she lost her unwavering smile. She didn't push the older to tell her anything, she didn't let her know she could confide in her for anything.

And it was weird, because as she thought about, Chaewon realized how much she confided in Yena. She was bare and vulnerable to the older. Since they were in high school, it was always her, Yena, to whom the younger would tell everything to. Whether it was a complaint about Eunbi being too frugal with their living expenses, or a cry out for help when she was insecure about her internship, Yena was always the one to hear it all. Even when she ranted about Spider-Man...

And Yena hated Spider-Man? There were times when Yena had defended Spider-Man before, but she was usually quiet about him. Especially after Chaewon got her internship and most of everything in her life became about him. How had she not noticed her silence before? It wasn't just once, or twice, it was almost every single day for a whole year already. And to think, that whole time Yena didn't say anything - it was because she didn't approve, because she was scared for Chaewon.

And what did Chaewon did? Just talk about Spider-Man even more, not once taking notice of how the older's grip on her pen would tighten, or how her typing would momentarily stop before she resumed whatever it was she was working on.

Thinking about it now, did Yena ever confide in Chaewon like the younger did to the older? Not really, no. And Chaewon never gave it much thought, always assuming the girl was too happy to have any real problems of her own. But maybe that was not the case, and Chaewon was just self-centered, always going on about herself and her pretentious struggles of not being noticed by the notorious vigilante the nation was obsessed with, while Yena could have been having some real struggles, carrying whatever burden she had.

Putting it like that, Chaewon felt awful. The guilt was strong with that one.

 _Was it_ guilt?

Chaewon assumed so, because every time she passed by Yena while walking down the school's corridor, her gut would clench and her heart would pound so loud she could feel it pulsing through her veins. Especially thinking about that heavy gaze Yena had given her that day. If that wasn't guilt, she didn't know what it was.

Really, Chaewon could have just been overthinking everything. It could have all been something very insignificant that would not affect their friendship at all in the long run, so why was she still feeling this way?

Whatever it was, it was driving her mad and that Tuesday morning, a week and a half after their last real conversation, Chaewon walked up to Yena after class, a glint of determination in her eyes. She clutched her textbooks tight and with an exhale, proposed to the older a meeting at the library.

Yena's eyebrows raised in shock before her face settled into a soft smile. "We haven't hanged out causally like that in a while."

Chaewon smiled back, and she thought,  _damn_ , Yena's smile truly was contagious in size, shape, and form.

Without too many words spoken, the two girls began to head to the library, giggling among themselves about insignificant nothings. It was nice and Chaewon almost wondered why it stopped. Almost, only because she didn't want to think too much only to end up ruining the moment. She didn't know why, but lately, around Yena, she felt like she was walking on thin ice. Like every second spent with her was now was worth twice - no, thrice - as much as before, and one wrong move could make her lose that moment. It was weird, because the two were at such a comfortable place before whatever tragedy it was that made their friendship fall apart, and now they were back to square one.

No, not square one. It couldn't be square one, because from the moment she had met Yena her freshman year of high school, she had always been comfortable around her. From the very first second.

Chaewon didn't realize she was smiling until Yena looked up from her laptop, questing eyebrows, asking, "Why are you smiling?"

The younger's eyebrows raised in confusion, and then she realized.

"Oh. I was just thinking about the day we first met."

A grin appeared on Yena's face. "That day was a special one, huh? It's the day your life changed for the better."

Chaewon rolled her eyes, shaking her head softly at the thought. "Shut up and go back to doing your work."

Yena did as told, but not without sending the other a pleased grin. Until not even a minute later when she spoke again, softly this time at the fond memory. "Do you remember what I told you that day? You know, when I reached my hand out to you?"

Chaewon frowned, trying to remember some of the first words the older had told her when they first met. She shook her head lightly, the meeting fading from her mind. "No."

Yena's smile tightened. She sighed and went back to typing, only saying, "Too bad. I suddenly can't remember either."

Chaewon knew it was a lie, the disappointment in Yena's face let her know.

But still, she couldn't remember.

 

* * *

 

To say Chaewon and Minjoo were spending a lot of time together lately was an understatement. It wasn't just "a lot" of time, it was  _all_ the time. Any moment that the two girls weren't busy with their regular school/work life, they were together. They were inseparable at this point, and the two girls would be lying if they said they wanted it any other way, because they didn't.

Minjoo liked spending time with Chaewon. It helped the strong waves of emotions she would feel over her crush in a very healthy way. There was none of that suffocation that usually came with crushes. There was none of that sad and sappy longing, because time didn't allow for it. They were always together. Even when they were apart they would text until the next time they saw each other, which was never too far away.

And Chaewon, well she felt almost the same. Almost, in the sense that she wasn't sure if she had a crush on Minjoo before. She had thought about it, and she wouldn't mind if she did. It wasn't such a bad thing, because they might as well be dating at that point. There wouldn't be much difference anyway. But she was still confused, and she could not deny that the thought was only satisfying enough. Was that how crushes were supposed to work? To only be enough? Chaewon hoped she wasn't just settling. But could someone as stunning and kind and caring as Minjoo be called settling? If that was settling, what the hell would be not settling?

The two got along significantly well, and Chaewon didn't usually feel so well-matched with someone. Their personalities were  _so_  similar, from the way they thought, to the way they acted. And it was nice. Comforting, even. So with that in mind, maybe Chaewon did like Minjoo. And it wouldn't be so bad if she did.

"Okay, but maybe we should find Eunbi someone so she can stop pestering us every time I come over," Minjoo said that afternoon that the two of them sat together on the floor of Chaewon's living room, after the older girl had come in to ask them if they wanted to get manicures with her. "It's kinda sad seeing her be so single."

Chaewon snorted, tossing her head back at the younger's words. "Eunbi has high standards. And by high standards, I mean a pretty girl who won't get in the way of her work, but can still stick around to comfort her when she's stressed."

"Your sister is truly ambitious," Minjoo responded, looking up at Chaewon with a grin on her face, "in that way, you two are similar."

Chaewon looked back at Minjoo, an amused grin on her face. "Oh really? Is there something wrong with being ambitious?"

"No," Minjoo smiled, less teasing this time. "It is one of my favorite qualities about you."

Chaewon didn't know what made her chest tighten more. The words Minjoo said, or the way she looked at her when she said them.

Perhaps, this was flirting. Right? Chaewon had never dated before, and the only person she had liked before was Minjoo, when they were young and things like flirting weren't in their dictionaries yet. So, to summarize, she was unexperienced in this field. But, if by any chance, this was flirting, how should she react? Shrug it off and act like she didn't notice, or take it as an opportunity to flirt back?

Chaewon figured she must have been silent for too long, because by the time she finally made her decision, Minjoo was already moving on to the next topic as to avoid any further awkwardness.

"So, you know the girls Yujin and Wonyoung? My friends from school."

Chaewon nodded.

"Would you like to meet them? They keep pestering me over it, saying they want to meet the people I hang out with outside of school."

There was something about Minjoo's look when she said it that made Chaewon feel something. Perhaps it was the way she looked up with this soft gaze in her direction before quickly looking away as if she was suddenly bashful. Or maybe it was how hesitant she sounded about the offer. But why would Minjoo act this way over presenting a friend to some other friends?

"Sure, I would like to meet them," Chaewon responded as she placed down the paper crane she had finally finished folding. "Just tell me when so I can put it in my planner."

Minjoo snorted. "You keep a planner?"

"Of course I do, doesn't everyone?"

"Only nerds."

Chaewon's jaw dropped. "Seriously? I am not a nerd. I'll have you know, I'm just a very smart and busy person who likes to stay organized."

Minjoo snorted once again. "Okay, whatever you say."

A smile ghosted over Chaewon's lips as she began to fold up her new paper crane.

This was nice.

Whatever it was that  _this_ was.

 

* * *

 

Everything had changed since that one Friday, Chaewon was quite aware. Too aware.

From the friendship bracelets with Minjoo and the questioning feelings for her, to the newly found vulnerable Yena; Everything really was different. But there was one thing in particular that was, maybe, a little _too_  different. And that was the new found infatuation that Chaewon had for the questionable hero who came to her rescue during her most desperate time of need.

Chaewon wanted to deny it was infatuation, really, but when she found herself lurking around the park one night, scanning the area for any possible sightings of her saviour, she really didn't have anything else to call it. Because it was true, Chaewon was infatuated with her resucuer, and she wanted to meet him again. But how to meet someone who only showed up in times of crisis?

The girl wasn't stupid, and she would not purposefully endanger herself just to possibly see the hero that she may be infatuated with, especially after the scare she got two weeks ago. But there she was, at the park, this late hour of the night, hoping to see him, even if just a glimpse. Well, she wanted _more_ than just a glimpse. She wanted to talk to him, of course.

Sad thing was, this wasn't her first time showing up at the park after that incident. She had already lost track of how many times she found herself aimlessly walking down to that park at night since that one day.

Chaewon wondered if it was even reasonable to choose that park in particular. But then again, she did put a lot of thought into it. For starters, the park was at the center of the city, near the places where Spider-Man was often reported to be seen around. If he so happened to be swinging around late at night, looking for some crime to stop, that was where Chaewon would be able to 'accidentally' run into him. Also, the park was much safer than a too empty alleyway. It was in plain sight, so if anyone tried anything with her, she could just shout very loudly and run down to the busy streets on either side of the park.

But Spider-Man was awfully quiet these days and Chaewon had to wonder if it had anything to do with the rising crime activity - the rising crime that was targeted at the vigilante, to be specific. Almost every day, she would hear or see something on the news about the threats being made against the hero coming from gangs. There was a lot of gang activity lately - another reason for Chaewon to not be there at that time of the day - and the crime rate had significantly increased. People argued it was Spider-Man's fault, because the gang members were trying to taunt him and lead him to them so that they could beat him to a pulp and defeat the crime-fighter once and for all. But Chaewon didn't see it that way.

Was it really Spider-Man's fault if all he wanted to do was fight crime to make the city a safer place for the regular civilians such as herself? Okay, that's how she knew she truly was infatuated, because just three weeks ago she would have argued otherwise and would not have hesitated to put the blame on the hero. Similarly to the way her dear friend, Chaeyeon, saw the situation. Still, Chaewon wished people didn't place blame on him. He was doing the best he could, and she was certain it couldn't be easy. She could not even begin to imagine what a huge burden the weight of all that responsibility could be. That made her think of Minjoo.

Chaewon thought back to that day when Minjoo defended Spider-Man, saying everyone should leave him alone because he only tried his best. She was nice, yeah, definitely nice. What a kind and empathetic soul she had. But Chaewon still had to wonder why Minjoo always defended the hero and - why did she always act so weird when it came to him? Sure, Chaewon was now doing the same, but it was merely her new-found infatuation. What was Minjoo's excuse?

"You'd think, after almost getting kidnaped, you would be more cautious of where you go to alone at night, but maybe you're just dumb."

The voice sent shivers down Chaewon's spine and she could feel her heart do that thud thing. She slowly looked up from her feet, her gaze drifting to the side where the hero was standing, crossing his arms and staring down at her with a shake of his head. Her heart did a thing again.

Damn, that infatuation truly was strong.

"Well hello to you too, friendly neighborhood Spider-Man," Chaewon said quite sarcastically.

"I don't know who gave me that title," Spider-Man said quite honestly.

"It was my sister, when she wrote her first ground-breaking article thanks to you, long ago," Chaewon said, almost snorting at the turn of events.

Spider-Man nodded, walking over to the bench where Chaewon was sitting. He nudged his head in the direction of the empty space, and Chaewon could only nod, suddenly feeling flustered at the thought of sitting next to _the_ Spider-Man on a bench late at night, talking casually as if they were friends.

"Ah, so your sister is the person I have to thank for this ridiculous title that you find unworthy of someone like me?"

Chaewon smiled. "Yeah. I'll let her know later that Spider-Man is anything but friendly."

"Wouldn't she freak out that you've talked to me?"

"Not at all, she knows you saved me the other day. Also, she's talked to you plenty of times before. You usually respond to her interviews."

Spider-Man turned to look at Chaewon before looking back up at the sky. "Name?"

"Eunbi."

"Ah," Spider-Man nodded, "your sister is the loud, persistent one who is willing to shove all the men to the side no matter the cost. I admire her dedication. Did you know she once broke the camera of a rival news reporter?"

Chaewon snorted, remembering seeing that on live TV when it happened, years ago. Eunbi had to pay for the repairs, but she did not regret it. Said the guy was a jerk who deserved more done to him for disrespecting her as a woman. In fact, Spider-Man even stopped answering his interviews because of that and Eunbi claimed the hero was a feminist intellectual. And- Wait.

"You remember the news reporters?" Chaewon asked, turning to look at the suited man.

Spider-Man turned to look at her and Chaewon really wished that mask wasn't blocking her from seeing his expression.

"Yeah," he answered after what seemed like an eternity before turning away once again. With that answer, Chaewon had a new, burning question that she was dying to ask. But she was reluctant, fearing the answer. And somehow, she didn't need to think about it any longer, because as if Spider-Man could read her mind, he went on and answered it. "I've seen you before, you know."

Chaewon couldn't help the tightness she found in her chest from the anticipation of his next words. Anticipation? Or dread? She couldn't tell, and as far as she was concerned in the that moment, they could be the same thing.

"You probably think I hate you."

"That's an understatement," Chaewon answers a little too quick.

Spider-Man almost chuckles. "To clarify, I don't hate you. I just see you at the back of the crowd and -" If Chaewon didn't know any better, she would say the hero was nervous. "-and seeing you just makes me flustered. So, I run away every time I see you."

Okay, Chaewon was certainly confused. She made him _flustered_? Like, flustered,  _flustered_? As in that thing where you can't really think straight and you're confused and don't know how to react to something and - _Why_?

Chaewon wasn't one to overthink, really, she would like to think so. She was rather ignorant to many things around her which had always allowed her to mind her own business in peace, while also shielding her from a lot of things that she should have noticed ages ago. And lately, that wall of bliss, that wall of ignorance that she had managed to keep up pretty well for the past eighteen or so years of her life, was crumbling down at an incredibly fast rate. There were things she was taking notice of lately that she should have seen ages ago, such as that gaze of Yena's, or the minor flirting from Minjoo. Her analytical skills were growing, and her attention was sharpened. And she had began to overthink a lot.

And Spider-Man's words? She was definitely overthinking right now.

But, Chaewon was also straightforward. She wasn't one to beat around the bush - although recent events could say otherwise - and she would rather just ask than allow herself to overthink. And so she did.

"Why? Why do I make you flustered?"

Spider-Man turned to look at her, and she could hear a muffled scoff before he turned away. He. "Isn't it obvious? You're pretty."

Okay, perhaps she wasn't overthinking. Actually, she was  _under_ thinking.

Pretty? _Her_?

No, Chaewon thought, shaking her head. He couldn't actually mean that, _right?_

Chaewon shook her head once more, trying to get things straight in her head. So, what her hero was trying to say, was that he ignored her all of this time because she was so pretty she made him flustered? Chaewon wanted to scoff.

There was a montage that played through her mind of all the times she walked up to the crowd, notebook in one hand and pen in the other, ready to interview the hero before he looked up, saw her, and swung away. It was sad, really, the amount of images that played in her head.

"You have to be lying."

Spider-Man shook his head. "Not at all. You know the first time I saw you in the crowd, almost a year ago, my webs failed me and I tripped?"

Chaewon snorted, sitting back on the bench. That day was so vivid in her memory.

Back then, Chaewon had only been working as an intern for a month or so, running around getting coffee orders for everyone, staying up till late doing research for articles that would never be published - and it was truly bad for her health at that time, being a senior in high school that had many assignments to complete on the daily while also having to worry about college. And then, one causal day after parting ways with Yena who had to head to the library, Chaewon made her way to work when there he was, the one and only Spider-Man fighting against crime.

Chaewon had watched from afar, too in awe to function properly. It was funny, because Spider-Man had been around for years; Since her freshman year of high school, actually. But she had never seen one of his fights that up close, and she certainly wasn't missing the opportunity when it came her way.

When Spider-Man had finished beating whatever evil-dooer that he was fighting then, the crowd got closer, fans trying to ask their idol questions, and interviewers trying to get a good story that would manage to stand out from all the hundreds and thousands of articles that were published about the scandalous hero in a day. And then Chaewon saw her chance, her opportunity, and she ran for it. Quite literally, too.

Any person who knew Chaewon well then would have said she looked like Eunbi for a moment, because she pushed past everyone - even shoving someone to the ground - and made her way to the front, a new-found ambition glint in her eye. She never understood why Spider-Man's web fell and he tripped when he turned after talking to a fan and saw her standing at the front of the crowd. She honestly figured the look in her eye must have scared him, but what could she say? She had been determined that day.

But was it possible that he had really found her so pretty that he tripped?

That's what he was telling her. It was literally coming straight from him.

"I'm sorry, but it is rather hard to be flattered over those words when I've been thinking you're like sixty for the past few weeks."

Chaewon didn't know where that came from. It didn't even have anything to do with what she had just been thinking about, but it was true. She wanted to be flattered, maybe even flustered, but what if he was old? That was the most prominent thought at the moment. She had no idea what the guy looked like under that suit, and yeah he may have saved the people of the nation and whatever, but that wouldn't stop him from being a pedo.

There was a snort that erupted into loud laughter only seconds later, and soon her savior was clutching his stomach, laughing loudly at her words.

Chaewon blinked. She didn't find it funny. This was a serious thought.

When the hero finally calmed down, he turned to her and Chaewon was really tempted to pull the mask off of his face, because what the hell did he look like under that mask? And what was his expression? And why did he seem so familiar for a moment there?

"Listen, uhm, name?"

"Chaewon."

"Listen, Chaewon, I'm not a pedo."

"Well, that sure is a relief suited man, but I don't think I can trust you until you take off your mask."

Spider-Man snorted again. "Chaewon, I can't do that. If I did, you might actually drop dead from how amazingly good-looking I am."

It was Chaewon's turn to snort. "Hmm. I doubt that. You already said I'm so pretty I make you flustered, so I'm guessing you're not that confident in your looks."

"Got me there," Spider-Man said, turning from her once again, "but I'm not sixty, you know. I'm around the same age you are."

Chaewon slowly nodded, processing the piece of information. Should she trust him? She wanted to trust him. She didn't see why not.

"The great Spider-Man being almost as young as me?" Chaewon hummed. "I can't see it. Wouldn't that mean you, like, go to college or high school and stuff? And have friends who you hang out with - unless you're friendless, that is. I really can't see that. You, as a normal young adult."

"Well that's too bad, because I am a student with class assignments, and daily life problems of a young adult. Many revolving around friends."

Chaewon tilted her head to the side, staring at the masked face in front of her. No, she still couldn't see it. She sighed and leaned back. "I can relate to that perfectly."

"Problems with friends?" Spider-Man asked, and Chaewon couldn't really place her finger on it, but something about his demeanor changed.

Chaewon nodded. "Yup," She popped, "problems with friends."

"Like to share?"

"You're nosey," Chaewon said, but complied anyway. "I don't have anyone to talk to about this. The friend I usually tell these things to is one of the problems, and she feels so distant anyway, I've become uncomfortable around her. I have another friend, as well, who I like talking too, but again, she is one of the problems. I could just talk to them both about each other, but something about that feels so morally wrong."

"Why is that?" Spider-Man's voice was soft, low - hesitant? And something about that was so familiar to Chaewon, something about the tone.

Spider-Man shook his head. "You know what? It is very late and I think I should get you home."

Chaewon raised an eyebrow. "Really? You're taking me home?"

Spider-Man got up and extended a hand out to the girl. "Yeah, you're my responsibility now. Trust me, I would not be able to sleep if I left you to go home on your own, especially after what happened last time."

There was something about the way that he said that last part that sounded too much like something someone close to her would say. She wasn't sure who would say something like that, but she just knew the way it was said was the way only someone close to her would say it. Was she overthinking again? Probably. But still, it did not sound like something that you would tell someone you just met, but rather so someone who you cared about. Even for a hero, it was odd. He was some random guy.  _Guy._

Yet Chaewon took the hand without thinking too much, and he helped her get to her feet. Then the two fell into a comfortable silence and began to head for the exit of the park. They then walked across the street. And then they cut through another street.

And all that time, not one of them spoke a word. Not one.

Chaewon was busy thinking, and Spider-Man was probably doing the same.

And it wasn't until they were reaching her street, that Chaewon began to think of something in particular.

"So where exactly is your home?" Spider-Man asked when they began to walk down her street.

Chaewon looked up, eyes instantly landing on her apartment complex. "It's up there. We can just part ways here."

Spider-Man nodded, slowling down his steps until they came to a step right before the building. Chaewon stood a few steps high.

There was an exhale, and the hero turned to face her. He wasn't very tall, was he? She was standing at the entrance before the apartment complex, and he stood at the bottom. Maybe that was it.

"Listen, Chaewon-" There it was again, that feeling of familiarity. "Don't look for me anymore."

The girls eyebrows raised, completely taken back by the words the hero spoke. "W-what?"

How did he know? He.

"Thinking you could be out there, late at night, looking for me, will make me worry. I know I'm a hero, and my job is to protect the people and all, but I don't know if I can always be there for you."

Chaewon didn't know why her heart felt warm all of a sudden. It was some sort of sense of comfort, like she mattered, and it was so familiar, but why?

"Then you come to me."

It was the hero's turn to be taken back. In fact, even Chaewon was taken back by her choice of words. When did she become so bold?

"What?" The hero asked, and he sounded so shocked, Chaewon found it amusing and she couldn't stop the sly smile from forming on her lips. She felt like she won something.

"So that I don't go looking for you, you come to me instead."

The hero didn't say anything, and Chaewon figured she had rendered him speechless. She didn't know why, but that was satisfying.

"Okay," He finally said, and she hated how soft the tone sounded, even if modified.

Chaewon nodded and turned to walked inside the building, but one last thought remained in her head and she figured, since she was feeling so confident, why not?

She turned around, scanning the hero from head to toe, and said, "Oh, and I know you're actually a girl," and walked inside. The last thing she heard was a faint curse of distress.

 

* * *

 

"I know it isn't right to question someone smiling, because they have every right to be happy, but why are you smiling?" Eunbi had asked that morning when Chaewon walked into the living room, served herself breakfast, and began to eat without saying a single word. She just stared off into the distance, a small smile plastered on her face. Until, of course, she heard Eunbi and she froze midway a spoonful.

Eunbi raised an eyebrow and Chaewon had to gulp down her food before ignoring the question with one of her own. "You've met Spider-Man before, right?"

The older sister wasn't following, it was evident on her face. But after a few seconds of eyes shifting around as she thought about it, she placed the cap back on the juice box and turned around to return it to its rightful place in the fridge. "Depends on what you consider meeting. He is a masked hero, after all, so in the sense of meeting someone, as in the person themselves, no. But I have met the persona that is 'Spider-Man', in a sense that I interviewed the mask. Why do you ask?"

"You could have just said yes," Chaewon scoffed and mumbled before taking another spoonful of the cereal she was eating. And in between chews, her follow-up question came, "Does he seem familiar to you?"

Eunbi closed the fridged and turned around once again. Another thoughtful look crossed her face as she pursed her lips, and Chaewon was about ready to roll her eyes.

"Isn't that all heroes, though? Their job is to keep the people safe, so naturally they seem familiar since they're seen in the news so often and their sense of security can create that familiar atmosphere, in the sense that they, in a way, feel safe and secure like home. Besides, his title is 'The Friendly Neighbourhood Spider-Man'."

Chaewon rolled her eyes this time. "Again, a simple yes or no would have sufficed," She grumbled. She swallowed whatever last bit of cereal she had and stood up to place her bowl in the sink. "So I assume that means a no in the sense that you almost know who he is behind that mask, right?"

"No. Why? Do you think you know who he is behind the mask?" Eunbi asked, leaning against the counter. "You know, if he seems familiar to you, it could just be because he saved you and now you may have some sort of infatuation with him that makes you feel like you have known his your entire life."

Chaewon wanted to argue, to refuse, to deny. But the thought had also crossed her mind and there was no denying that she was, indeed, downright infatuated with the hero who saved her that night. Still, there was something, a feeling - intuition of some kind - telling her that Spider-Man's familiariy stemed from something other than her infatuation. But it was obvious Eunbi didn't understand what she was getting at, and she had no intentions on elaborating her feelings any further to her. With that decision in mind, Chaewon walked up to the front door, picking up her backpack on the way.

As she slipped on her shoes, one last thought came to mind before deiciding to voice it out. "Oh, and Spider-Man says the title you gave him is ridiculous. He is not worthy, and not friendly."

Chaewon smiled to herself in satisfaction when she saw Eunbi's eyes widen as she exited the apartment. Messing with her was fun.

But even so, the smile on her face didn't last long when she began to think about the hero once again. The hero who wasn't a he, but was in fact, a she.

Thinking about it now, it made a lot of sense. Spider-Man was a name given by the people, and not by the hero herself. Of course the people would assume a crime-fighting vigilante was a guy, which was rather sexist of them, but it was true. No one ever stopped to question who was under the mask -  _anyone_  could be under the mask. And from what Chaewon had gathered, the person under the mask was a girl around her age. It was weird to admit, but the idea only made the hero seem more attractive through Chaewon's eyes.

Still, Chaewon wondered why the hero never specified her gender and cleared up the misgendering issues. Perhaps, and this was all Chaewon assuming, the hero didn't want to clear it up because it would, maybe, make her seem weaker to the public. It made sense. The public labeled her a man, so the public obviously had those expectations. They saw what they wanted to see.

Chaewon would definitely have to talk to Spider-Man -- Spider- _Woman_? Spider- _Girl_? Yeah, she would have to them about that whole situation. If, that was, they decided to meet up with her again. Chaewon sure hoped so. She had a lot counting on that and it was rather shameful to admit, but she was looking forward to the next moment she would get to meet her hero. She just hoped the vigilante would keep their part of the deal, because otherwise she would have to go look for them in the dangerous hours of the night in the city.

Speaking of the hero and their gender and all -- there was something off about them. At first, Chaewon thought it was because she was a girl. But when she figured out that her speculations were right, something still felt off about her savior. He - She felt very familiar. _Too_  familiar. Chaewon couldn't place her finger on it, she couldn't exactly pinpoint it, but there was something about the hero was too close to comfort for her to not have met them before. Maybe Eunbi was right. Maybe the vigilante being her savior and having the whole friendly image thing was what gave that sense of comfort. But Chaewon was too closed off from people, and there were only a small amount whom she allowed to get close to her and she just clicked too well with Spider-Man.

"Chaewon!"

The girl stopped and turned around.

"Minjoo, why are you here?" Chaewon frowned, scanning the girl who was rushing to her side.

"I have been thinking a lot about that thing that happened, and I have decided to walk by your side continuously to make sure you are safe."

Chaewon frowned, staring at Minjoo as she tried to process what she said. And yes, she was touched by Minjoo's words and all, but that wasn't what caught her attention. Something about those words, there was something that sounded familiar.

"I won't be able to sleep if I have you running around by yourself."

_Those words._

_Spider-Man?_

Minjoo frowned. "What?"

_What?_

"What do you mean Spider-Man?" Minjoo asked, frown still etched on her face.

Oh. She said it out loud.

Chaewon shook her head slowly. "No, uhm, sorry, he was on my mind. You know, after all that's happened lately - I just can't get him out of my mind."

Minjoo nodded, but the look she was giving Chaewon let the older know she wasn't buying it. Still, she let it go.

And the two girls began their walk. Minjoo began talking about something which Chaewon payed no attention to, only nodding her head every now and then and humming to seem attentive. But there was something occupying all of Chaewon's thoughts, just one thing.

"Minjoo," Chaewon came to a stop and the younger girl turned to look at her in confusion, "where were you the night of the incident?"

The girl frowned, puzzled by the sudden question. "I told you. I was getting you that bracelet."

Chaewon's eyes trailed down to the bracelet she wore on her wrist. Right. Next question.

"How did you find out about the incident?"

There was a pause. A moment of silence. A flicker in her eye.

"Yuri called me."

Chaewon had to let it go. She was paranoid, she had to be. But there was something there, at the back of her mind. Something telling her Spider-Man was familiar for more than just infatuation or girl's intuition. She knew him personally. She had to. It was the only explanation. But she had to let it go, right?

"Chaewon?"

"What?"

"Come on, you're going to be late for class."

"Oh. Right."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, I hope this chapter was good, I literally wrote like the first half of it in one sitting. This chapter probably just made things even more confusing for some of you and I am sorry, but I'm also kinda not.
> 
> Anyway, I have a question and I would like it if you could tell me which way you'd like the story to go. Either comment to find out who Spider-Man is from their point of view, or comment to find out at the same time as Chaewon. This might influence the route I take, it might now. We shall see.
> 
> I hope you all have a good day, thank you for reading, I really enjoyed Spider-Man Far From Home, and goodbye :)
> 
> -J
> 
>  
> 
> Also, my sister keeps asking for more Eunbi so ;)


	5. An Unsettling Feeling

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Are you mad at me?" Spider-Man asked, and Chaewon gave the hero a blank look, tilting her head to the side and raising her eyebrows only the slightest to show how disinterested she was.
> 
> "Okay, let me guess-" The hero hummed. "-is it because I didn't come to find you? No, wait, I think I got it, it's because I almost got hurt yesterday."
> 
> Chaewon rolled her eyes and kept on walking once again, and this time the hero had to let go of the web to set foot on the ground and chase after Chaewon. "Okay, I did actually get hurt, but I promise I healed rather quickly and I'm standing here now, quite healthy. I get it, I'm sorry for both things, please stop giving me the silent treatment, this is torture, you're literally my only friend under this persona."

It had been a week and a half since Chaewon had last seen Spider-Man. Now, she wasn't saying that she longed for the day she got to see her again, but that was exactly what she was saying. It was ridiculous, because it wasn't like Spider-Man had gone anywhere and disappeared off the face of the Earth, no, quite the opposite actually. Spider-Man was everywhere.

Crime was high in the city, that was already established, and Spider-Man seemed to have been in hiding because of it before. It made sense, because the crime was directly aimed at him and it was just some messing around at first from the gang, causing some chaos here and there. Hitting cars with bats, throwing bricks at shops and then running away before the cops arrived, it was all harmless in the sense that no one was getting directly hurt. It was just all an attempt to lure the vigilante out, and Spider-Man wasn't dumb. But that slowly changed, and soon people were getting hurt. It wasn't just vandalism then, it was violence. A war, almost.

Eunbi was having a thrill. Said the re-appearance of Spider-Man was good for the news. Of course, it was easy for her to say when she wasn't the one who had to go out and report the sightings of the vigilante fighting against seven men twice his size at one. No, that fell on Chaewon. With her cameraman, Bomin, at her side, Chaewon was out there going live, reporting everything that Spider-Man did, having to watch him get beat before turning things around and winning every single time.

Chaewon trusted the hero, of course she did, but it was still a scary sight every single time. That moment where Spider-Man would get hit and fall to ground and all the gang members would surround her and then - she would jump up and beat every single one of them. Every single day, without a fail, Spider-Man was out there stopping crime. Every single day, Chaewon would have to watch in fear, holding her breath for those ten seconds, feeling that thud in her heart, before the hero prove himself once again. She hated it.

Spider-Man was everywhere, taking up all the space in every single news channel a person could flip through, and Chaewon didn't like it, not like that. She wanted to see him, but not in that way. She wanted to see the hero up close and person, just the two of them, talking among themselves as they stared up at the night sky in a secluded area, far from the public eye, far from the crime.

Yena may have been on to something when she said she didn't trust Spider-Man. What he did was truly dangerous, and Chaewon was slowly starting to realize that every day, reporting what he did was also a danger. But Chaewon was also cautious and she was no fool to go to the front of the crowd not far from where the crimes occurred. Bomin was an alright cameraman and he could record what happened from a safe distance. But even then, it was dangerous.

Chaewon blamed her infatuation with the hero. If the two had never crossed paths, she wouldn't be so attached to her and seeing her fight crime would not be so hard. She wouldn't be overthinking like this. But still, it was what it was, and the hero felt familiar to her. Whether it was someone she knew personally under the mask or not, Chaewon was attached and she had to learn to deal with her feelings.

But there was one day in particular where Chaewon was sitting in the corner of their usual hang-out with Chaeyeon and Hyewon across from her, talking about their upcoming finals, when the news caught their attention.

"But seriously, this semester has killed me. Do you when I last visited the dance practice room? A month ago." Chaeyeon sighed and shook her head, setting down her spoon. It clattered against the table and the sound echoed through the almost empty restaurant. "I think I might just switch to dance major because if I have to type up one more essay analyzing the pieces of art during the-"

Hyewon who had been chewing silently by her side slowed down her chews as her eyes trail up to the television. Her brows furrowed and her hand went up to push Chaeyeon's arm slightly to get her attention.

"What?" Chaeyeon asked, but her eyes also trailed up to the television.

Chaewon, noticing the silence of her friends, looked up from her bowl, only to find Hyewon swallowing her mouthful, staring up at the screen with wide eyes and Chaeyeon looking rather shocked by whatever it was that was on the news. She turned around, facing the television that rested above the counter, and right there, just like any news reportage as of late, was Spider-Man.

This time, the notorious vigilante was surrounded by not three, not five, not seven, but  _ten_ guys.  _Ten._

"Where do they keep coming from," Chaewon asked under her breath. 

"Didn't you hear?" Hyewon asked after successfully gulping down her last mouthful. "All these scumbags are crawling up from nowhere just for him. Even members of previous existing gangs are uniting with one goal, and one goal only: Defeating Spider-Man."

"Rumor says, they're being led by some big gang leader who is known for corruption. From being involved in drug selling, to past, shady political business." Chaeyeon jumped in, nodding her head as her eyes remained on the screen. "It is madness."

Chaewon glanced at her friends before looking back up at the screen. It was crazy, it was all crazy. These people were literally planning a real living human's demise, and for what? So they could continue with their corruption in peace.

"He doesn't deserve this," Chaewon muttered, still shaking her head in disbelief as she watched Spider-Man do a flip over one of the guys who launched at her before webbing him up whole. "He just wanted to help the people."

Chaeyeon and Hyewon both looked away from the screen, exchanging a look before they turned to Chaewon who was still engaged on the activities of the crime-fighter against the gang members.

"Are you defending Spider-Man right now?" Chaeyeon asked, suddenly becoming more entertained with Chaewon's new outlook on the vigilante.

Chaewon's eyes widened. Oh. Her friends didn't know about her new-found infatuation with the hero who rescued her that one day. Did she want them to know? Of course not. She knew what was to come if they found out she suddenly only saw the hero through pink-colored lenses, filtering out the blood smeared on her hands.

"Uhm," Chaewon turned to her friends who were staring at her with a great amount of disbelief, "I just think, you know as a regular human being, he doesn't deserve this?"

Her friends exchanged another glance, showing they weren't buying what she was saying.

"Are you into Spider-Man?" Hyewon asked and the way she said it had Chaewon sighing at how stupid she must have looked with her infatuation. A clown. She must have looked like a clown.

"No," but Chaewon still denied and was quick to shake her head and extinguish whatever thoughts might have been arising in her friend's heads before they got too crazy. "Of course not, but you know, after he saved me and stuff, he isn't such a bad guy. So, you know, I think they should all cut him a break."

Chaeyeon made a face, but didn't say anything else. And just like that, the three friends all turned back to the screen, watching Spider-Man's every single move.

Ten guys. Then seven. Then five. Spider-Man was a genius, Chaewon thought. She trusted the hero could fight them all off, she had done it plenty of times before. What would make this time different from the others? Chaewon kept that it mind, yet she still had a bad feeling and watched anxiously.

The hero kicked one of the guys and punched another. The hero did a back flip and shot webs at one of the guys. Four. One of the guys launched at Spider-Man and the hero did a counter attack. Three. Two of the guys went around and tried to surprise the vigilante, but she was quick and her senses must have helped, because she was able to take them both down in a matter of seconds. One. There was only one left, Chaewon had counted in her head and - where was the last one?

The screen zoomed in on the hero who was webbing up the last two guys and Chaewon frowned at the sight. Had she counted wrong? She must have counted wrong because there was no one else--

"Oh my gosh," Chaeyeon said and that's when Chaewon saw the last guy approaching the hero with a bat from behind.

Spider-Man could sense it, Chaewon knew it. Spider-Man had to be able to--

And there was a blow.

Spider-Man was quick, she was able to sense the guy. But her reflexes were only so fast and she was barely able to jump to the side, avoiding getting hit on the head, but still getting hit anyway. Chaewon gasped and jumped in fear, hands going up to her mouth and eyes widening in shock.

"He got hit," Hyewon mumbled in disbelief.

No one else said anything and they all continued watching as Spider-Man stumbled to side, clutching her side tightly with one hand while the other went up to shoot webs. But she was stumbling hard and it looked like it was a big hit because she fell down to the floor and it was apparent that the hero was now breathing hard.

And it only escalated from there, because a bunch of other guys appeared, jumping over the car to reach the area, wearing masks and carrying their own bats and weapons.

"Shit," The camera was able to pick up Spider-Man's mumbles.

"Is he going to get up?" Chaeyeon asked, and it didn't sound like mockery, unlike her constant remarks relating to the notorious vigilante.

"He has to or they're going to beat him to a pulp," Hyewon said, resulting in the two other girls turning to give her a look. She shrugged. "What?"

Chaewon turned back to the screen and watched closesly as the hero pushed herself off from the ground, hand still clutching her side. That must have been painful, and it worried Chaewon to no end, sending her into a state of mumbling endless prayers and encouraging words under her breath. "Come on, you got this, Spider-Man. Please, God, please."

And to everyone's surprise, the hero laughed. A sarcastic laugh, but a laugh nonetheless. She turned to everyone surrounding her, and laughed once again. "I didn't want to get too violent today," Spider-Man started, "but even hurt, I suppose I have to beat you guys."

There it was, Spider-Man's sense of humor. Chaewon smiled.

And before any of the guys could react, Spider-Man jumped up, attaching herself to the side of one of the buildings, and began to shoot. She pushed herself off and made a turn, going over all of the guys, and shooting some more webs. She landed on the ground and instantly kicked one of the guys, dodged an attack, punched another guy, and like that, she beat everyone there.

Chaewon didn't realize she had been clutching her hands tightly until the Spider-Man was crouching on top of one of the cars there, in that spider pose of hers, looking over the crowd and all of the guys she webbed up. She exchanged a few words with the police that arrived shortly after, but at that point Chaewon couldn't hear anything because the camera focused on the news report who started to summarize everything that happened as if the entire nation didn't just witness it themselves.

"Well that was a ride," Chaeyeon was the first to speak, turning away from the screen and shaking her head as she went back to her drink.

"I think I lost my appetite, and if that doesn't say something, I don't know what does," Hyewon jumped in, pushing her plate away from her. The girl just sat there, an unpleasant look on her face as she stared at the remaining food.

Chaewon couldn't say anything. Her mind was still on the hero who she almost witnessed get beat to a pulp, as Hyewon said. It was a horrifying sight and Chaewon couldn't make out anything else but the thought that she wanted to see her. She wanted to talk to her, ask if she was okay, and though it was selfish to think at the time, she wanted to ask a few questions that could let her know whether she knew who was under the mask or not.

Yes, it was completely selfish to still wonder about the true identity of Spider-Man at a crucial time like this where the hero could have died right before her - and the nation's - eyes. But Chaewon needed to know, especially now more than ever. If it was someone she knew, it just made this moment all the more important. Because what if it was someone that she knew under the mask? What if those guys had really beaten Spider-Man to a pulp? What would have happened then?

Imagining someone she knew under that mask, almost getting killed - No, Chaewon shook her head. She couldn't imagine that.

Chaewon _needed_ to talk to Spider-Man.

 

* * *

 

It had been a day since Spider-Man's last fight. It was all anyone could talk about. Chaewon turned the corner and she would come across a group of girls talking about their hero and how he must have been feeling that previous day. Chaewon turned the other corner and she heard guys talking about the great vigilante who could not be defeated. It was endearing, hearing the praises for the hero whom she had met personally, but it was tiring. Honestly, the event was something Chaewon didn't want to think about to much. It was terrifying, horrifying, and an overall unpleasant experience to have had to sit through. She wanted to forget it, move on from it.

Chaewon needed a distraction, a friend to hang out with to talk about anything but Spider-Man. Chaeyeon and Hyewon were out, she had hung out with them the previous day and seeing them would probably only remind her of that; Hitomi, Nako, Yuri, and Minjoo were busy studying for finals at the high school; Sakura or Eunbi, they were both busy with work; And that left Yena who, well, Chaewon wasn't sure where she stood with the girl at the moment.

When Chaewon was around her friends, it really felt like she had more than she could handle. But listing them like that, were those really all the friends she had? Maybe them all being part of the same friend group was what made it seem like so little. She had a close group of friends that were enough, but outside of that, that was all? It made sense, though, after Chaewon found Yena who introduced her to the others, she never felt the need for more friends. Another thing Chaewon needed to thank Yena for.

Speaking of friends, there was Minjoo, sitting in the coffee shop talking to - Yena?

Chaewon frowned at the sight of her two closest friends interacting. It wasn't the first time the two girls interacted, of course Chaewon had introduced them to one another before and they had all hung out together with the others before, but this was different. There was no one else around with them. It was weird. Chaewon was the reason they knew each other, and really she was the only reason they even interacted. Not even because of Yuri, or Hitomi, or Nako, or anyone else. Without Chaewon around, why would they even feel the need to talk to each other?

It wasn't like Chaewon was trying to make it all about her - maybe - but the sight of Yena and Minjoo talking without her was odd. Unsatisfying. Unsettling. Displeasing to the eyes. It was strange and weird and something didn't feel right. Two separate parts of her world colliding. And really, if it wasn't about her, why would they talk to each other by themselves?

Maybe Chaewon was just trying to justify herself, but she couldn't deny the curiosity was so immense, she had to get closer to listen. There weren't many people in the cafe, but she chose the seat behind a couple where she would not be easily spotted, yet close enough to hear most of the conversation.

"We need to stand side by side, together," It was Minjoo's voice.

Chaewon frowned. Why did Yena need her help, and with what? There was silence on the other end, like Yena was contemplating what Minjoo had said. There were some other words coming from Minjoo, less exasperated and more soft, but Chaewon couldn't hear them properly.

Then there was a sigh, it was Yena.

"It's getting hard, keeping it a secret from Chaewon."

Chaewon? _She_ was Chaewon! That was her name! Why were they talking about her?

"Please, you're not the only one keeping it from her, I am too." That was Minjoo. "Have been for a while too."

Yena said something else which, again, Chaewon couldn't make out, and that point she was leaning in too close she wasn't far from falling off her chair.

"Okay, tomorrow then, right?" It was Minjoo again.

"Just don't let Chaewon find out or it won't be good for any of us."

There was the screeching of chairs being pushed back, and Chaewon was quick to turn around and hide her face as her friends walked by. And when the two were exiting the coffee shop, she glanced up, watching the two head in opposite directions until they were both long gone. That was weird.

Chaewon bit her bottom lip, glancing back to the table where they had been sitting previously, just a minute ago. She pulled her phone out of her pocket and dialed the first of their names that she saw: Yena.

There was a ring before an answer.

"Hey, Chaewon, what's up?"

What to say? Chaewon should have thought of that before she called.

"Hey, Yena, uhm, are you busy right now?"

There was silence.

"No, not right now, why?"

This time it was Chaewon who went silent. She bit he bottom lip once again, thinking about what to say.

"Uhm," Chaewon started, wondering if this was a good idea, "are you busy tomorrow?"

Yena went silent again and Chaewon was really going to need some lip balm.

"Yeah."

"With what?" Chaewon cursed herself for being to quick with the question.

As expected, Yena went silent again, as if she were trying to come up with an answer, and it was starting to irritate the younger girl. So, in blatant annoyance, and acting too rash, Chaewon spoke once again, "You know what, we're obviously not that close anymore, and I suppose we can't tell each other things anymore either. I thought we could meet up but it's fine if you're busy, like you always are these days."

"Chaewo-"

Yena tried to speak, but Chaewon was too annoyed to care and hung up instantly. She set her phone down as soon as she pressed the button and leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms. Her face was hot and her heartbeat was rapid and -  _fuck_ , what had she just done?

Realizing how harsh she had been with her words, and how irritated she had gotten with her friend, Chaewon's first instinct was to pick up her phone and dial Yena's number once again to apologize. She hadn't been thinking clearly, obviously, and the irritation that she got from her two closest friends talking without her presence had perhaps influence her too much.

Yena had asked her to wait before, and it hadn't been fair of her to use her distance against her. She knew she had her reasons, Chaewon had understood that.

But still, Chaewon did not pick up her phone and dial back. She was scared.

It was stupid, but that conversation had escalated rather quickly. And Chaewon was scared that if she were to call back one again, right then and there, her mind would still be too cloudy and she would spur out nonsense once again, making the problem worse. Later, she would deal with this later.

 

* * *

 

Chaewon was walking home on her own, hands stuffed into the pockets of her windbreaker, and feet kicking pebbles along the way, when she thought about Yena. Why had she lashed out on the girl like that earlier? She wondered, if it had been Minjoo whom she called instead, would the conversation have gone differently? Yes. Chaewon didn't like that answer, it wasn't very gratifying. And why was that? Because Minjoo was different - no, _Yena_ was different.

Minjoo didn't keep things from Chaewon - and if she did, she was pretty good at it - but Yena was different lately. She had distanced herself without much of an explanation and only the words 'wait for me' as a reassurance. Yena was busy all the time, lately, always missing out on things without telling the others what she was doing. And something about her felt odd and distant, even when she was with Chaewon. Like she had this burning secret which she couldn't tell.

And Chaewon tried to be understanding, she really tried. But no matter how much she tried, she only grew more and more irritated every time Yena said she had something. Every time she disappeared without notice. Every time she bailed on previously arranged meetings.

But why was it such a big deal? Minjoo had said she'd been keeping a secret from Chaewon for a while as well, but she hadn't lashed out on Minjoo like that. And she didn't feel angry towards her either. Chaewon wondered if this was some sort of double-standard, stemming from her feelings for Minjoo or something like that, allowing her to be more at ease with Minjoo even if she was also keeping secrets. Maybe she just trusted the younger more than she trusted Yena. Or maybe - she didn't care. It was a horrifying thought, but what if she didn't lash out on the younger like she did with the older simply because she just didn't care about her keeping a secret from her? Unlike with Yena, maybe she just cared so much it hurt even more which resulted in her lashing out. Then what was that supposed to mean?

Chaewon sighed, stopping to kick the pebble in front of her once more.

"What did that poor pebble ever do to you?" Chaewon's eyes widened and her back straightened. "You've been going at it for a good five minutes already."

Chaewon tried to hide it, but the fluttery feeling she got in the pit of her stomach made it rather impossible to hide the slight smile that crept onto her face when she heard her hero's voice. And when she turned around and saw the vigilante crouching on the ledge of a building in her usual Spider-Man pose, the slight smile only grew into a grin. Until, that was, when she remembered the last time she had seen the hero, just days before, almost dying right before her eyes through a screen.

"Oh no, don't give me that look," The vigilante said, swinging down, but not fully letting go so that she was hanging on by a thread in front of Chaewon.

Chaewon rolled her eyes and kept on walking instead, leaving the hero behind. But Spider-Man was quick and she shot another web, swinging to Chaewon's other side, hanging by another thread, feet barely above the cement road.

"Are you mad at me?" Spider-Man asked, and Chaewon gave the hero a blank look, tilting her head to the side and raising her eyebrows only the slightest to show how disinterested she was.

"Okay, let me guess-" The hero hummed. "-is it because I didn't come to find you? No, wait, I think I got it, it's because I almost got hurt yesterday."

Chaewon rolled her eyes and kept on walking once again, and this time the hero had to let go of the web to set foot on the ground and chase after Chaewon. "Okay, I did actually get hurt, but I promise I healed rather quickly and I'm standing here now, quite healthy. I get it, I'm sorry for both things, please stop giving me the silent treatment, this is torture, you're literally my only friend under this persona."

Chaewon's lips quirked up at the comment and she finally turned to look at her hero who stepped back a few steps in reflex.

"So, are you still mad?" Spider-Man asked, and Chaewon really had to hold herself back.

"I suppose not, but I'll have you know - I was more than just mad with you," Chaewon spoke, finally settling for giving the hero a break. "I mean, you never came to find me despite your promise, and then you almost die right in front of me?"

"Oh god, you weren't  _there_ were you?" Spider-Man asked and Chaewon founds the tone in her voice rather amusing.

Chaewon shakes her head. "No. I was watching with some friends. But the shock I got made me rather thankful that I didn't work yesterday."

"So..." Spider-Man trailed off and Chaewon quirked an eyebrow, waiting for what she was going to say next. "What you're saying is, you worried about me."

Chaewon could definitely imagine a grin under that mask and she almost groaned at the hero, in the way that she similarly tended to groan at the words of another friend - who? She couldn't recall and she didn't try to, she was rather focused on Spider-Man.

"You are annoying."

"Yet you've been expecting me."

Chaewon huffed and continued her walk and the hero went back to swinging from building to building by her side in silence. Until Chaewon stopped walking and turned around, ready to scold the vigilante once again - but she noticed the close proximity of the two and if it weren't for the mask this would have been rather flustering. Wait, the mask didn't matter, because she was definitely flustered.

"Yes?" Spider-Man asked and once again, damn that mask, because Chaewon was curious. Their faces were so close and if that mask weren't there - she could see her face. She could read her eyes to know what she was thinking. It made her feel at a disadvantage because she was sure her face gave away how flustered she was, but Spider-Man? She had no clue as to what the hero was thinking. Eye gave a lot away, and the stupid mask's eyes were dark and unreadable unlike her own. And Chaewon had to rely on the tone of the hero's voice for insight, but it was rather robotic and muffled and the little of what she did hear was too smug for her liking. "Were you going to say something."

If only she could rip Spider-Man's mask away, Chaewon pondered. It wasn't a bad idea. It wasn't a bad idea at all. But, then again, the hero was known for having what was labeled 'the spidey sense' and Chaewon wasn't sure if she wanted to test it. But, they were so close and if she could just reach out her hand quickly-

But Chaewon settled for otherwise. She cleared her throat, and trying her best to not sound awkward, she asked, "So should I call you Spider-Man, or Spider-Girl, now?"

The hero seemed taken back by the question, it showed in the tone and the stutter. "W-wh\- oh. I suppose just Spider-Man will suffice. It is more of a title than a misgenered name to me, now. I've gotten used to it."

Chaewon hummed and somehow she wasn't satisfied with the answer. She went back to walking as she began to think and then, with a loud gasp, turned back to the hero so fast it had her letting go of her web and falling to the floor once again. Chaewon paid no attention and went on with voicing her idea.

"Okay, hear me out, what if I make a conspiracy video - or article - talking about how you could actually be a girl under the suit."

"The misogynists would go wild." The hero spoke from her spot on the ground where she had fallen to and taken seat at.

"So is that a yes?" Chaewon was rather excited with the idea, and she guessed it showed on her face because, because the hero sighed.

"Alright, go wild or something. But if I lose fans because of this-"

"It's their fault for being misogynistic and instantly assuming you're a guy as if a girl can't be strong and a hero."

The vigilante pushed herself off the ground and dusted off her suit. She looked up to who knows where, and Chaewon's gaze followed along in curiosity. The hero then turned back to her, and Chaewon was just rather perplexed with change in demeanor. "Do you want to go up with me?" Okay, now Chaewon was even more confused. "Like, to the roof of a building somewhere."

Chaewon's eyes were wide and she was sure the look on face was rather incredulous. She glanced up, to nowhere in particular, before turning to the hero with a raised eyebrow. "Like, carry me? Somewhere up there? With your webs and stuff?"

"Yeah."

"I'm not sure... it seems scary."

Spider-Man extended a hand out to Chaewon and the girl stared at it for a while before looking back up. "Do you trust me?"

Chaewon's eyebrows raised, something coming back to mind. Then, a small smile crossed her face and she took the hand.

 

* * *

 

There were a lot things Chaewon liked, such as singing, reporting news, writing fun articles that weren't about cats stuck in trees, hanging out with Minjoo - but she never thought being carried by her savior, the hero who had saved her just weeks ago, swinging through the night city, feeling the fresh spring air hitting her face and making her hair flow, would be one of them. But she didn't just like it, she loved it. Sure, it was rather scary, thinking about how high up she was and the possibility that she was too heavy for the hero and that she might have been dropped, falling to her inevitable doom - but once she got past that, it was fun. Really it was. Though, she wouldn't lie, she had to let out a breath of relief when they finally reached the top of a rooftop - the rooftop of one of the highest buildings in the city, Chaewon might add.

It was a beautiful view and Chaewon couldn't help but gasp when she turned and saw the lights of the city down below. She could hear faint noises down below; The cars honking, sirens wailing, the fresh wind blowing. It was such a beautiful sight.

Chaewon found herself turning around to look at the hero once again, a smile plastered on her face. "You come up here often? You're rather lucky, if you do."

The vigilante shrugged and walked over to Chaewon's side to overlook the city as well. "I come when I can. It's a place where time slows down and every thing down below becomes so small and meaningless. Usually, though, trouble in the city interrupts my moments."

Chaewon nodded slowly, eyes scanning the city once again. Everything was in perfect view - her neighborhood, the streets she often walked down to get to school, the places her and her friends went to often. It was so beautiful, and she found herself sitting down on the ledge to just stare in peace. Spider-Man followed along.

"How often do you bring other girls here?" Chaewon asked, giving the hero a side-glance and a smirk.

She assumed, if there was any way that she could see under her mask, that she would be rolling her eyes at her.

"Charming as I can be, you're the first girl."

Chaewon tried to hide her smile, but it seemed like they were both letting on to a lot that night. "Nice."

Then, the silence came. It wrapped up over the two of them like a warm blanket, giving them peace and comfort. And it remained like that, the two of them not speaking one word, overlooking the city as thoughts ran through their heads. Until, something in particular crawled its way into Chaewon's thoughts and she was left sighing, eyes going down to her shoes.

"Is something wrong?" Spider-Man's voice came rather cautious and soft, resulting in a swarm of butterflies going through Chaewon's entire body.

"I just-" Should she tell him? "-things have been weird between a friend and I lately."

Chaewon could feel the vigilante stiffen up besides her, before once again approaching with an odd caution. "Uhm, may I ask what's been happening?" She sounded hesitant, as if maybe she was scared Chaewon wouldn't tell her or something. It was weird, but Chaewon chose not to think about it too much.

"Well, this friend has a secret - a _huge_ secret - and I know we're friends and I'm supposed to understand if she wants to keep it a secret, but I think this secret has been driving a wedge between us two and at first I wasn't too bothered, but then I felt like a bad friend for not being bothered, and then she told me about the secret that she couldn't tell me and that night- I don't know." Chaewon let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding in. Her chest heaved up and down and she leaned against the railing, eyes trailing back to her shoes once again. "It's all too weird."

"Weird?" Spider-Man asked, the caution completely disappearing from her voice, replaced with curiosity. "Weird, in what way?"

Chaewon shrugged, glancing up to stare at the city lights once again. "I don't know," She mumbled, because she really didn't. Everything she had been feeling as of late was so weird in a way that she couldn't explain. Things she hadn't felt before, things she had only felt for others, the mood between her and certain friends - it was just weird. "But I suppose I feel this way for being a bad friend."

At that, Spider-Man began to shift around in her spot and started to shake her head. Chaewon glanced at her, quirking an eyebrow, waiting for her to speak. "I don't think you're a bad friend. And I'm sure your friend doesn't either. If they are keeping a huge secret from you, as their friend you are not wrong to feel excluded. And I can see you're really trying to understand the position they are in."

"Yeah, but I'm scare she can't see it." Chaewon huffed.

"Oh, I think she probably can."

Chaewon turned and her head tilted. She stared at the mask and the mask stared back. Huh.

Letting out a hum, Chaewon turned around once again, bitting her bottom lip. There was something she wanted to try, something she wanted to test. She knew Spider-Man, she was sure of it now more than ever. The person beneath the mask, she had an idea, she had a clue. 

"Then, there's also another problem with a friend," Chaewon started with a heavy sigh.

Spider-Man's head perked up in curiosity.

"She's a friend who I've known for a while - quite a while -"

Spider-Man nodded, encouraging her to continue.

"And she and I- well, I'm not sure what's been going on between us lately, but things feel different and I'm pretty sure she likes me-"

"You sound quite confident."

"Shut up. Anyway, I'm pretty sure she likes me, and my feelings for her - I'm not sure if they're the same."

Spider-Man hummed. "And this friend, you speak of, what's she like?"

Chaewon smiled. "She's nice. She's perfect in every way. Her looks, her smile, her personality. Minjoo has always-"

Wait, she wasn't actually supposed to give out her name. Chaewon turned to Spider-Man, wanting to see her reaction, but damn that stupid mask. She just wanted to rip it off her face. She wanted to know what lied beneath. Did she truly know the person under the mask? She needed to know.

But Spider-Man was showing no reaction and the silence was unbearable. And Chaewon was sure a whole minute had gone by - it probably hadn't, but it sure felt like it - when the hero finally spoke up.

"I think you should get home already. It's late."

Chaewon let out a shaky breath as her eyes watched the hero stand up carefully before standing up herself. She dusted her skirt off and looked over at Spider-Man who extended a hand out. This time she took it without hesitation.

 

* * *

 

Chaewon stared up at the ceiling that night, replaying the scenes of the day over and over again in her head. Minjoo and Yena... Spider-Man... It was all too much.

Thinking about her two closest friends brought back too many feelings. It made her feel jealous, angered, irritated, sad, lonely, but more than that, it was just unsettling. Something didn't sit right. The combination of the two was off, the conversation was off, everything was off. And the only thing she understood was that they were both keeping something from her.

Chaewon groaned, rolling around on her bed until she found another comfortable spot. And then she thought about Spider-Man.

Spider-Man was also acting strange. Chaewon was certain it was because she knew the person behind the mask. It had to be. Why else would the hero be so distant? Obviously, the things she said made the hero act a certain way, as if she knew these people, as if she was one of these people. It had to be, it just had to. But who? Chaewon had a theory.

After pondering the thought and rolling it around in her head for days, Chaewon had come to a conclusion: Spider-Man might have been Minjoo.

It was a shaky thought, a rocky idea, perhaps a stretch, but it was what it was. It was her conclusion and for now she had to test it in every way she could. There was already some evidence that pointed her in that direction, heavily influenced by the similar things which the two said.

When talking about Chaewon's safety, they both sounded so similar. And that phrase that they both used... But what if this was all really a stretch stemming from hopeful wishing? Was this hopeful wishing? Did Chaewon secretly push the 'Minjoo is Spider-Man agenda' just because her feelings made her wish she was? That was quite possible. It was more than possible, actually, it was most probable. But it was something, and Chaewon had to go off of what she had.

Because, if not Minjoo, then who? Maybe - Chaeyeon? The way that Chaeyeon had spoken about the vigilante would have made her think otherwise, but then again, wasn't that what made it plausible? If Chaeyeon were Spider-Man, that could be the reason why she always seemed so against 'him' - because she secretly was Spider-Man and didn't want anyone to know. Wait, that didn't make sense, she had been there the day she was in trouble with the rest of her friends. And they definitely did not act similar in any way.

So if not Chaeyeon, then - Yuri? Yes, Chaewon thought, that was reasonable. The two acted quite similar in a few ways, such as being dumb fools from time to time. And Yuri had also defended the hero once before, though she also insulted Spider-Man at some point as well, calling 'him' a fool. But it was also in a way that defended Spider-Man as well. And she was also the one who had taken Chaewon's call, making her the first to know about the incident. And Spider-Man never did tell her how she knew, so Yuri could have left her friends and have gone to save her, and then reappeared once they were - No, that just didn't make sense.

But, that was weird. How _did_ Spider-Man know? Chaewon had wanted to ask before, but she never got around to it and in the end it slipped out of her mind. But now she knew, she definitely had to ask.

Once again, Chaewon sighed and tossed and turned until she felt comfortable. She closed her eyes, listening to the empty nothing.

Tomorrow, she would think about this again.

 

* * *

 

"Come on Bomin!" Chaewon shouted at her camera-guy as she pushed through the crowd and ran to the other side of the sidewalk where they would have a good view of Spider-Man who was swinging around, shooting webs at some masked guys that were throwing smoke bombs and explosives around the city.

"Don't you think this is too close?" Bomin asked when he finally reached Chaewon's side and panned the camera up to catch Spider-Man in frame.

Chaewon shook her head, holding her mic close to her chest. She scanned the area, seeing most of the reporters and crowd on the other side of the street. It was true, they were quite close, but Spider-Man was doing most of her work up high and the bad guys down below were aiming the explosives and smoke bombs in different directions. Plus, the view was great. The smoke was clearer on this side allowing for Spider-Man to be seen swinging right out of it and back into it, which was pretty cool in Chaewon's book. But she was also infatuated with the hero, so could she really trust herself?

"Okay, but if we get killed I'll make sure to tell Eunbi it was your fault," Bomin said.

Chaewon rolled her eyes and got ready to hit the boy with her mic, when the light turned on and she pulled her mic back up to speak into it.

"Hello, this is Chaewon here reporting..."

And like that, Chaewon began to narrate every little thing which the hero did to the best of her ability. Spider-Man did this, Spider-Man did that, Spider-Man swung through the smoke and tackled the guy down, Spider-Man saved a civilian from one of the explosives and so on. And it was really hard to act like she wasn't swooning, and it was also hard referring to Spider-Man as a 'he'. She was definitely going write up that article that night.

But it was all going too good for the hero, Chaewon could feel it. Perhaps she had grown too close to her already, perhaps she was just too anxious after last time, but it was a persisting feeling in her chest that wouldn't go away. And, unfortunately, the feeling proved right when Spider-Man found herself in the middle of the street, smoke bombs going off around her as a whole new herd of bad guys began to circle around her.

Chaewon's eyes closed in an attempt to ease herself when she saw the situation that Spider-Man was in. And then the crowd began to gasp and she grimaced in fear that something happened. Her eyes had opened, searching for a body lying around somewhere, but she did not find one. Instead, she saw the people on the other side pointing up at something. Chaewon frowned, seeing Bomin turn around to face the other direction through her peripheral vision.

"Uh, Chaewon," Bomin spoke up and Chaewon finally turned around to see what all the commotion was about.

And not too far from where they were, swinging down the street and heading in their direction, was a masked, black figure.

"Spider-Man?" Chaewon asked under her breath, an incredulous look covering her face.

"That's not Spider-Man," Bomin spoke as the figure got closer.

Chaewon's mouth dropped when the figure swung right past them and flung itself into the middle of the circle formed by the bad guys, standing proudly besides Spider-Man in a suit that seemed to mirror the vigilante's; Being all black with red accents and a similar logo on the chest area.

"Took you long enough!" Chaewon could hear Spider-Man shout to the figure standing besides her, facing the other side of bad guys.

"I wanted to be fashionably late!" The figure shouted back. "Wanted to make a lasting impression on my debut, ya know."

"Shut up and let's fight these guys."

And then the fight began. And Chaewon was left accidentally speaking into the mic, "What. The. Fuck."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been gone for a while, I know, and I am incredibly sorry. My health, both physically and mentally, has been all over the place lately. But I am doing better now and I will try to update again soon.
> 
> Also, I really appreciate all the votes and I have come to a decision on how you will all find out who Spider-Man is and... well, you'll see in like two updates? But I'm pretty excited and I hope you all are as well.
> 
> Thank you all for reading, I really hope you enjoyed, and until next time!
> 
> -J


	6. Lightheaded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Chaewon," It sounded shaky and unstable and if Chaewon didn't feel so lightheaded herself with the intimacy she would have found it rather amusing that she had that effect on her. "I-"

Finals were coming up. Chaewon couldn't concentrate. Finals were coming up and Chaewon couldn't concentrate. Could it get much worse than that? Yes, drastically so, she was being dramatic. Chaewon was usually no slacker, she had a good GPA, and her grades in all of her classes were satisfying. She wouldn't suffer if she failed a final or two. But she also didn't like the idea of failing. She didn't like feeling so unfocused on her work. It wasn't like her. But Spider-Man--What the fuck?

What the actual _fuck_? It wasn't like Chaewon _never_ cursed, but it wasn't like her to just, well, do it. Out in the open and everything so vulgar. Her friends poked fun at her for it over the week and she couldn't blame them. She had slipped up in front of the entire nation and she was sure next time she met up with Spider-Man, she would tease her about it as well. Because that was so Spider-Man, watching re-runs of her own news.

Spider-Man, fuck Spider-Man.

Her only friend in the persona, Spider-Man had said? What a joke, Chaewon thought. Jealous? No, she wasn't jealous. Surprised, confused, perplexed, astonished, incredulous, just to name a few things that she was. But jealous? Hah. What a joke. What did Chaewon have to be jealous about? The Dark Spider-Man? Hah. No. Of course not.

Sure, there was someone else out there that Spider-Man was close to, someone else who Spider-Man was friends with, someone who probably knew who lied beneath the mask even though Chaewon didn't, despite her strong desires to--Where was Chaewon going with this? Right. She wasn't jealous. Except, she was.

Spider-Man had said she was her only friend with the mask on and it made her feel special. And now? This? Another Spider-Man? Fighting along her side? Acting like they're all buddy buddies? Hah. Hahaha.

Honestly, what even was up with that? Forgetting all the jealousy - which wasn't jealousy, Chaewon would still refuse to accept - what was up with there being two Spider-Man's? The other Spider-Man, who Chaewon assumed was also a girl, wore a very contrasting suit to the original, being all black with red accents that matched the blue and black accents on the original. And they were, well, their fighting style and their entire tactic and approach was different. It wasn't bad, really. Quite the opposite, actually. Through the week, the two had fought side by side a total of five times already--almost every single day. The people loved it, the duo. And it was understandable, because they fit well together. With original Spider-Man having a straight-forward way of attacking with some sarcastic side-comments, and the new Spider-Man having a more tactical and well-thought out approach with some more snarky comments. They were different in style, and that was what made them such a good vigilante duo fighting against crime. Talking about crime, it had drastically gone down since the duo formed.

Chaewon saw on the news a day ago, her sister Eunbi being the deliverer, that the vigilante duo had managed to defeat some of the gang leaders. And that scared the gangs. There were charts and everything. And that was good. Yes, that was good.

But something still felt heavy in Chaewon's chest. That anxious feeling and the unbearable dread. Like something bad was going to happen. Chaewon hoped she was wrong, she wouldn't be able to bear it if something happened to her hero. And she tried convincing herself it was only because things were finally starting to look up for her savior, that she felt obligated to be weary. But the feeling wouldn't go away.

Still, the Spider-Man duo was doing great, and when Chaewon had interviewed the two just three days ago, they mentioned something about digging deep and finding the main culprit behind everything, who they suspected was some great businessman trying to pay off the gangs for some top secret reason which they couldn't reveal yet to the public. Not until they caught the guy and confirmed their suspicions. Chaewon so much as swooned right on the spot, admiring eyes over her hero and how brave and valiant and hard-working she was. Which led to a bigger problem.

Chaewon didn't think she was infatuated anymore. Infatuation only lasted for some time and it usually was just that, infatuation. But this, well, Chaewon might have been crazy, because she was starting to think she  _liked_ Spider-Man. Madness, it was literally madness. How she could like someone without knowing what they looked like? Okay, that sounded superficial and Chaewon swore she wasn't that kind of person--but there was still that .001% chance the person beneath the mask was an old perverted man. Unlikely, but the chances were there. And Chaewon didn't like those chances.

So, what then? Was she supposed to move on from her crush? That was plausible, but the best way to move on fron a crush was to find someone new--or, at least that was what she found when she googled 'How to move on from your hero who you don't really know, but you also kind of know enough to like?' - and Chaewon didn't have anyone else to move on to. Well, there was Minjoo, but if she was being honest, she was pretty sure the reason she liked Spider-Man had something to do with her suspicions over Spider-Man being Minjoo. Her stupid wishful thinking.

Chaewon sighed, closing the textbook that sat in front of her. Numbers were hurting her head, thinking too much was hurting her head. Chaewon looked up and scanned the library. It was packed with stressed college students that were studying for finals. She could relate--well, if she were actually studying. Which she wasn't because she couldn't concentrate or think and--

Chaewon's eyes lit up and her entire body straightened and stiffened when she caught sight of someone whom she hadn't talked to in a week - no, not Spider-Man, though she understood she was busy - Yena, who was standing at the other side of the library, at the check-out area, talking to a librarian.

There was that fast heartbeat again, and that stupid chest clench. Chaewon truly must have felt guilty over what happened before. Not only had she snapped at her friend, she hadn't contacted her afterwards to apologize, knowing well enough she was in the wrong. And Chaewon knew Yena would not contact her, feeling bad, thinking Chaewon was right for snapping at her, feeling like a horrible friend - it was just a very Yena thing to do. And she needed to let her know that wasn't the case.

And without thinking much, Chaewon quickly gathered her things, stuffing her notebooks and pencils into her backpack, and grabbing hold of her textbook as she got up and ran over to the girl who was already walking out of the library.

"Yena!" Chaewon called out when the girl was already further down the hall. She froze and Chaewon quickly made her way over.

When they were finally standing face-to-face, Chaewon allowed herself to release a big exhale. Yena looked different. Not a bad different, though. The eyebags that had been painful just to look at a month or so ago looked long gone, returning Yena's youth to her. Her eyes had a certain sparkle to them once again, not like before the whole mess between them happened, but a different one. Chaewon couldn't figure it out, but she thought it was nice. That Yena looked--lively, once more.

"Chaewon," Yena breathed out, and that sparkle instantly vanished. It made Chaewon's heart drop. Had their friendship really taken such a big hit?

"Uhm, I was wondering if we could talk," Chaewon glanced around the hall, taking notice of the people staring at them as they headed to the library, "somewhere else?"

There was a flash of panic in Yena's eyes and she bit her bottom lip, eyes glancing down to her phone in hand. The time, Chaewon took notice of. Yena's eyes shifted around, as if in search of something or someone. "Uh, I-" Yena looked around once again before finally bringing her eyes back to Chaewon. She nodded. "Okay."

 

They had chosen the school's cafe, a seat far in the back where there was only them. Chaewon glanced down at the cup she was holding and glanced back up to find Yena also avoiding eye-contact, eyes trained on her own cup.

"I'm sorry."

Yena looked up, an incredulous look on her face. Was it that hard to believe that Chaewon could apologize? That she could admit when she was in the wrong?

"I-I don't understand. You were-"

Chaewon shook her head. "I'm sorry, Yena. I was in the wrong. You told me to wait for you, and I said I would. And because of my own problems and frustrations, I lashed out on you that day when I should have understood."

Yena shook her head. She glanced down at Chaewon's hand that lied atop the table. She reached out for it and there was something about the touch that felt like fire and Chaewon almost pulled away from the burning feeling. "Chaewon, I told you to wait and I understand if you can't. I'm sorry for not being there, I really am. And you aren't wrong for feeling the way you do. If you feel upset because I suddenly disappear without so much as a trace, or explanation, you're valid. I just-" There was a pause, hesitation. "I want you to know I'm here for you. No matter what, no matter when, trust me, I'm here for you always."

There was that heart clench again and Chaewon was starting to think she may need to see a professional about this. She nodded, staring deep into Yena's eyes. She was searching, searching for something else. An undertone, an underlying message. But Yena pulled away and backed up in her seat.

Chaewon smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "Yena-" Chaewon was avoiding eye-contact, and her fingers were playing with her cup. "-Why don't we do something? Right now? Like-" There was an inhale and an exhale. "-Like the old days? You know, watching High School Musical in my living room couch, wrapped up in blankets with hot chocolate even though it's spring, just the way you like it--"

There was a look in Yena's eyes and Chaewon frowned when she saw the older girl quickly glance down at her phone. Oh.

"I'm sorry, Chaewon," Yena spoke, eyes closing for a moment. She exhaled. "I have to study for finals and help my mom with some things at home - you know how it is - and--"

"It's fine, you don't need to apologize," Chaewon said, another smile that wouldn't reach her eyes. "I get it. You go do you."

Yena looked hesitant, but then her phone buzzed and she picked it up, saying one last goodbye before walking away.

That one hurt more than the previous times.

 

* * *

 

Chaewon was probably sighing dramatically, staring out the window longingly when Eunbi walked in, kicking off her high heels and placing her bag on the side table, because she instantly glanced around before looking over at her sister.

"I haven't seen Yena around in a while."

Chaewon knew what she meant by that and she wasn't sure if she wanted to play into the game that her sister had set up. But she found herself speaking before processing. "She's busy with things she won't tell me about."

"Keeping secrets?" Eunbi asked, walking over to the fridge, pulling out the wine.

"Can't call them secrets if she straight up tells you she's keeping things from you and can't tell you because it's a burden."

Eunbi hummed and Chaewon turned to find her sister pouring herself some wine. She rolled her eyes, turning back to the window.

"That's a tough one," Eunbi spoke. She was heading to the couch.

Chaewon frowned, turning once again to look at her sister who was already flipping through Netflix. "And why do you care? You always said Yena was too loud."

"Yeah, and I stand by it," Eunbi scoffed, taking a sip of her wine. She then stopped, eyes softening. "But she's a good kid with a pure heart and the main friend of your life since you were fourteen."

Chaewon opened her mouth, ready to argue, ready to talk about all the other friends she had that weren't Yena--but she couldn't. She had other friends, but during the past few years of her life who would she call first when she first got accepted for the internship? Whose house would she bike to straight away when she got the email from her college, not even opening it up so see if she got in or not until she was there with her? Who did she cry to when AP Lit got so hard she considered dropping out of high school? Yena, it was always Yena.

Another sigh slipped out. Eunbi must have heard her distress, because she changed the subject. Though, not entirely.

"What about Minjoo? She's been here almost every day up until last week."

"She's been busy at the high school," Chaewon shrugged, finally removing herself from the windowsill. "They have finals this week. We're meeting up this weekend though, she's introducing me to her freshman friends."

"Hmm. So, when are you and Minjoo going to get together?"

The question was so sudden Chaewon found herself blushing a deep red and stuttering endlessly. "W-w-what? M-Minjoo an-and I? Like, what?"

Eunbi snorted before taking another sip of her wine. "If you're going to deny it at least act less obvious. I thought everyone knew you two have a thing?"

Chaewon went tight-lipped, fearing that anything else she might say would come out as a stupid stutter. She slowly shook her head before deciding to speak up once again. "I don't know if I feel that way towards her."

Eunbi gave her sister a side-glance and studied her face for a moment before smiling and turning back to the television. "You should trust your instincts more. They know what's right. What your heart desires."

Chaewon raised an eyebrow, but spoke no more. Huh. What her heart desires. Her instincts.

 

* * *

 

"Chaewon, this is Yujin, a first grader at the high school. And this is Wonyoung, a last grader at the junior high. But she seems to think the high school is her true school. And girls, this is Chaewon. You've heard about her."

Chaewon's face flushed, but she smiled at the girls nonetheless and greeted them kindly.

"Wow!" Wonyoung, the extremely tall baby one, exclaimed. "You really are pretty, like, classy!"

Chaewon blushed and glanced over at Minjoo who was rubbing the back of her neck bashfully.

"I thought Minjoo was lying, but you do seem as elegant as Minjoo claims," Yujin said, once again, no help to Chaewon's reddening cheeks.

The four girls sat at the table where Chaewon usually sat with her friends. Yujin and Wonyoung were across from her and Minjoo.

"So these are the two girls who approached you first when you moved back?" Chaewon asked, an amused smile tugging at her lips. "You didn't tell me how pretty and tall they are."

"Thanks, we're practically models, we know," Yujin said, sending Chaewon a wink before flipping her hair. Wonyoung followed along.

"No, but I did tell you they were embarrassing and-" Minjoo sighed, staring at the two young girls who were creating a series of different poses. "-You can see for yourself."

Chaewon laughed, finding the whole exchange rather amusing. And it remained that way. Wonyoung and Yujin were two very interesting and rather amusing girls. In a weird, but nice way. Chaewon liked them, and she could see why Minjoo had also taken a liking to the two girls.

Wonyoung and Yujin both talked about their first meeting with Minjoo, rather animatedly so. And Chaewon loved it. She loved the way the two girls made Minjoo smile, such a beautiful and radiant sight that she could never get enough of. And she loved how young-spirited and spontaneous the two girls were in contrast to her and Minjoo. It reminded her of the the days when she was their age, fourteen and fifteen and with--Yena. Two inseparable best friends.

"So we can definitely call and text you now, right?" Yujin asked, taking her phone back and looking over the contact number that Chaewon had typed in.

"Hmm? Oh, yeah, if you two would like," Chaewon said and the two younger girls grinned. They said their goodbyes and they were off, leaving a rather dazed Chaewon behind.

"What's got the wheels in your head turning?" Minjoo asked when the other two girl were gone and she was facing Chaewon, concern etched on her face.

"I was just thinking," Chaewon said with a slight shake of her head, "they remind me of a younger Yena and I."

Minjoo hummed, turning as the two began to walk down the street. "I see," She spoke rather softly, "and I bet you miss it." There was a certain tone in Minjoo's voice that made Chaewon feel guilty for bringing up Yena. That stupid feeling of guilt, she didn't understand.

"I do," Chaewon responded, trying to come up with something quick to change the topic, "but that's over with now. Anyway, what do you think of the new Spider-Man?"

There was a look in Minjoo's eyes and Chaewon would not miss it. In fact, that was the exact reaction she was looking for, any sign that Minjoo might just be her one and only savior. Oh how she hoped.

"I think they're great," Minjoo shrugged, and Chaewon didn't miss the stiff and awkward tone. She was tense. "Anyone who helps save the city is a good person in my book."

Chaewon nodded slowly, observing Minjoo closely. "Uh huh. So, do you think this hero might be better than the old Spider-Man?"

Again, there was a look in Minjoo's eyes which Chaewon could not read.

"I think they're both great heroes who work quite differently for the same goal and that's--"

"You're quite boring, you know," Chaewon said, a teasing grin on her face. Minjoo turned to look at her, feigning offense, before the two girls began to laugh loudly. And when the laughter died down, the mood suddenly shifted and the two girls grew more serious--an atmosphere that wasn't all too familiar between the two.

Chaewon suddenly stopped walking, feeling like she needed to know now, more than ever. She turned to look at her friend and there was something about the serious look that the other sent her that made her chest clench, almost the way that Yena's heavy gaze did, but not quite the same. Maybe, it was like the two knew what the was at hand. The topic, the conversation, the held back words. And suddenly, Chaewon couldn't bring herself to voice out everything that had been itching at the back of her mind for weeks. It didn't feel right.

"Chaewon--"

Minjoo began, but before she could get anything else out, Chaewon shook her head cutting her off.

"Not right now, Minjoo," She spoke softly, "let's preserve this moment."

There would be a time in the future where the topic would be brought up again and it would be the right time, and hopefully Chaewon would have a clear answer to give, then. But for now, her thoughts were too cloudy and she couldn't do that to Minjoo.

 

* * *

 

Chaewon spent a lot of her time lying awake on her bed late at night lately just thinking; Thinking about Spider-Man, thinking about her internship, thinking about Minjoo and the weird feelings between them, thinking about her sister and how lonely she was these days, and thinking about Yena and the new tension between them. And Chaewon always walked out of these moments with her head feeling cloudier than when she entered. Nothing ever came out of these sleepless nights besides confusion and aching chest pains.

There was a sigh and a turn and Chaewon looked up at the alarm clock on her desk besides her bed. What an ungodly hour of the night. There was another sigh, and another turn, and Chaewon was then facing her wall. It seemed so blank and dull and her back felt so vulnerable facing the open side of the room. There was another turn and Chaewon stared at the board above her desk, besides her bed, that showcased many photos of her and her friends. There was one with her standing in between Nako and Hitomi, an arm slung every each one while Yuri looked like she was trying to climb her back. Another one with her and Chaeyeon and Hyewon at some academic tournament or something which she could no longer remember when they were seniors and she was a grade below them. One of her and Minjoo in a sandbox when they were kids, playing in her backyard as usual. One of her and Eunbi on the day she got her internship--a picture to commemorate the achievement, Eunbi had said. One of her and Chaeyeon, their graduation day, with Yena and Hyewon at their sides--the older two had finally met during their first year at college. Another one from her graduation day, Yena's arms wrapped around her and both girls looking at each other, laughing and grinning, probably at something dumb that Yena said, as if the camera wasn't there. And then the most recent one, of her and Minjoo, just a few weeks ago, sitting in her living room, silly looks on their faces.

There were more pictures hidden away in a box tucked somewhere under her bed or on a shelf, Chaewon knew, and maybe a few more hanging around her room, she didn't look. But just staring at those pictures on her board made her chest ache--it did that a lot these days and she was starting to wonder if she should get it checked out. Perhaps she was being dramatic, perhaps she was about to start her period, perhaps she was just sleep-deprived, but everything felt different. The mood, the atmosphere--starting at those pictures just felt different all of a sudden in a way that hadn't before. 

But before Chaewon could dwell on the feeling any longer, there was a knock at her window that had her screeching, sitting up and backing up against the wall besides her bed. She glanced out the window and found herself gasping as soon as she spotted the red and blue. She rolled her eyes, suddenly feeling annoyance with the superhero who had a knack for showing up at the most random times, later than expected.

Chaewon threw her blanket to the side and got up, making her way over to the window. As soon as she opened she was greeted with an, "Okay, I'm really sorry if that scared you, and I'm also sorry for not dropping by in a while and I honestly don't know where I'm going with this apology."

Chaewon rolled her eyes once again, but there was a smile tugging at her lips. The hero just had a certain charm that always got her. Ah fuck, maybe she really was whipped.

"So, do you accept my apology?" Spider-Man asked and Chaewon pursed her lips, glancing at the hero who was crouched down at the windowsill, barely managing to balance herself.

"And what about the other Spider-Man?" Chaewon asked.

"What about them?" Spider-Man asked, sounding rather confused as if she had no clue as to why she should be brought up.

"You tell me you I'm your only friend with the masked persona, and then show up all buddy buddy with some other hero right after? Do you know how shocked I was?"

There was a laugh from the vigilante and Chaewon raised an eyebrow, wondering what was so funny about what she had just said.

Seeing the look on Chaewon's face, Spider-Man immediately stopped laughing and cleared her throat. "Hmm, sorry. But I saw the rerun of the news and heard you cussing."

Chaewon's mouth dropped and she was just about ready to defend herself, when the hero spoke once again.

"But to be fair, I didn't think it was all that important to mention. I mean, we're not really friends? I guess we're becoming friends now, but trust me, she's not nearly as cool as you. It's like work, you know. Professional."

"Oh, so she _is_ a her?"

"Crap, I wasn't supposed to say."

Chaewon shook her head in amusement. Spider-Man was just something else.

Suddenly, it dawned on Chaewon that the hero was still perched on her windowsill in a seemingly uncomfortable position. But then again, it was Spider-Man, so maybe it wasn't that uncomfortable. But then again, Chaewon spoke before she could think.

"Do you want to come in?"

Wait, she just invited a total stranger into her room. Oh no.

Spider-Man glanced around the room before turning back to her. Chaewon bet the hero was hesitating. But in the end, the hero stepped inside anyway, rather slowly and hesitantly. And by the time she was fully inside, standing at the center of her room, Chaewon was sitting on the edge of her bed, fiddling with her fingers rather anxiously.

"Your room isn't as girly or as classy as you would think," The hero said with only one glance of the room. Chaewon figured, if it was Minjoo underneath the mask, it made sense she wouldn't need more than just a glance to formulate a full opinion of her room.

"I don't know if I should take offense to that or not," Chaewon said.

Spider-Man shook her head and walked around for a bit before settling for the desk, or more so, the board above the desk. The same one that Chaewon had been staring at before she was interrupted by the knock at her window. The same one with all of her friends.

"These are your friends?" Spider-Man asked, glancing over at Chaewon before turning back to the pictures.

Chaewon hummed in response, feeling a little frustrated because Spider-Man had to play dumb with her.

"That one is Minjoo, the one I told you about before," Chaewon said when Spider-Man's fingertips trailed over the picture of her and her friend on the sandbox. "And the one below that one is us again, but older." Spider-Man's fingertips trailed down to the other picture and they lingered there for a while before heading towards the one at the side, from her graduation. And then they went up to the one that remained at the center, of her and Yena.

"Is this the best friend?" Spider-Man asked and Chaewon nodded.

Spider-Man retrieved her hand and backed away, slowly taking a seat at the chair besides Chaewon's bed, near where she sat herself.

"Minjoo sure is pretty," Spider-Man spoke after a long moment of silence spent staring at the board. "It's understandable if you like her."

It didn't sound cocky nor suggestive, but well thoughtout and it was so sudden it took Chaewon back by surprise, leaving her feeling rather perplexed. She almost wanted to argue with the hero, say that she was wrong and that she was the one whom she liked instead to clear up any misunderstandings. But Spider-Man and Minjoo... were the same person? And Chaewon liked Minjoo? What?

And then it dawned on Chaewon, that while what she felt for Spider-Man was all fluttery and certain--though she denied it often in fear--feelings of infatuation and maybe a like, what she felt for Minjoo was different. Unstable and uncertain and fluttery, but not in the same I-could-almost-fly kind of way. Why, why was it different? Perhaps it was the mystery of what lied beneath the mask that had Chaewon feeling even more attracted to the hero and--for a moment, that made her wish it wasn't Minjoo. If it was Minjoo, that would be, well, even more confusing and, she hated even thinking it, but anti-climactic. Then it really must have been the mystery that excited her, which meant she would probaly lose interest once the mask was taken off. Unless, it was Minjoo and she figured that she really did like Minjoo. But _did_ she like Minjoo? What if she didn't? What if Spider-Man was unmasked and it was Minjoo and she didn't like Minjoo? Would the feelings for Spider-Man vanish? Or would the feelings for Minjoo be confirmed? What a headache.

"This is Eunbi? Your sister."

The half-statement half-question brought Chaewon back from her thoughts and for that she was thankful.

"Yes, that's her," Chaewon said, barely glancing at the picture, knowing well which picture Spider-Man was pointing at.

"You two seem like close sisters," Spider-Man spoke and Chaewon let out a chuckle.

"I suppose we are. We live together, even work together."

Spider-Man hummed, still staring at the picture. "What would your sister do if she knew I was here with you?"

Chaewon shrugged. "Probably beat you up for being in my room. Then ask if she could have an exclusive interview and take out her laptop right on the spot."

"Sounds like her," It was so silent, so subtle, and Chaewon was sure it wasn't meant to reach her ears, especially when Spider-Man turned and saw the stunned look on her face. "I mean, from what you've told me about her and the couple of times she's interviewed me in the past, you know."

Chaewon nodded and forced a smile, but the feeling was too jarring now and there was no denying it, she knew the person beneath the mask, whether it was Minjoo or not. And that's where the tip-toeing began. Feeling like she needed to be careful around Spider-Man, carefully planning out every word she would speak before voicing it out. She wasn't sure what would bring this sudden atmosphere, why knowing who lied beneath the mask had to lead to this, but it seemed fitting. She felt vulnerable, knowing that the person beneath the mask knew her yet she didn't know them. It was an unsettling feeling. A disadvantage.

And then there was the thought, the memory of the event that happened a month or so ago. The night that led to their first meeting, the night that started it all. And a question came back, one that she had been urging to ask since that night but never found the right moment to. And it felt fitting, now, to ask.

"How did you know to find me that night that I was in trouble?"

Every thing was silent and Chaewon was sure even Spider-Man wasn't breathing, looking rather frozen in place just as she was.

There was a sharp inhale, Chaewon heard it so clearly in the dead silence of the night.

"Chaewon--" And it sounded so soft and vulnerable and there was something about the undertone that sounded so heavy and familiar; In a way that only someone whom she knew personally and closely would say her name. And there was that pause, the hesitation and reluctance that seemed to stop time. And the moment felt so  _heavy_ , Chaewon couldn't find a better way to describe it. She wanted to know; She wanted to know how Spider-Man knew to find her that time, she wanted to know why it seemed like she was hesitating. And then there was a sigh that returned time. "That night, by fate, I just happened to be swinging by."

And it didn't sound right, as if that wasn't what Spider-Man wanted to say. The undertone had changed and the whole feeling of that sentence was off. As if she changed at the last minute, reluctant to give her true answer. And Chaewon had to take it, because if she pressed she would seem suspicious and off and she wasn't ready to have that conversation with Spider-Man, she wasn't ready to let her know that she was sure she knew her beneath the mask.

Chaewon hesitated, but asked nonetheless, "Do you think it was fate, our meeting?"

"Definitely."

There was no hesitation. No reluctance. No heavy undertone that made her feel like it was off. It was pure and vulnerable and honest as can be, offered from the bottom of her heart. Chaewon could feel it and something about that made her feel lightweight all of a sudden.

"Chaewon, when we had our first official meeting I thought it truly must have been fate, you know, because I'd seen you before and you were so pretty and I wanted to get to know you."

And that was honest too, as vulnerable and open as could be. And Chaewon wanted to be touched, there was already a fluttery feeling pushing up from her tummy to her chest, but something was wrong, something was off. Spider-Man was talking about that night as if it truly was the first time they met, as if she truly had seen Chaewon around, thinking she was pretty, before--by some strike of fate--getting that chance that one night. And, if that was Minjoo under the mask, it didn't make sense, because Minjoo and her had met long before. Unless, Spider-Man wasn't referring to that meeting and instead was referring to another meeting, without the mask, long before that night.

How had she met Minjoo? Chaewon felt too lightheaded to think. Right, they were neighbors. Yes, neighbors. Out of everyone in the world, the two ended up living in the same street, side by side. That sounded like fate, right? But they had also been young then and--had Minjoo really liked her that long? Chaewon shook her head she was too high off of the conversation to think properly.

But despite the confusion she felt from the confession, Chaewon felt flattered, and maybe more than just flattered. She felt bubbly and she was starting to think, forget whoever lied under the mask, this was good. This was enough. The feeling in her chest told her so. But when she walked the hero to her window and the two exchanged their goodbyes before the other shot out a web and just barely swung away--something overtook her.

"Wait!"

And not even five seconds later, the hero had swung back, hanging by a single thread upside down, face in front of Chaewon's.

"Yes?"

_Uhm. What now?_

"Does the other Spider-Man know your true identity?"

There was silence, and then there was a chuckle and Chaewon swore she could see that amused smile behind that mask, even if upside down.

"Jealous much?" It sounded so amused, Chaewon really didn't know what was so entertaining about this, but she decided to indulge the hero.

"Maybe, yeah. Is that a problem?"

Was this flirting? Was it?

"Nope," It was soft, and again, rather amused, "I think I like that."

Oh yeah, this was flirting this was definitely flirting. Fuck, fuck, fuck.

"Okay, but are you going to answer my question?"

They were playing a dangerous game here.

And the mood changed once again, not necessarily in a bad way, it just felt heavier once again. They were both quite aware of the dangerous game they were playing, of the fading line they were tip-toeing around.

"Yes, they know." The way it was said was so light, almost a whisper, but the undertone was so heavy.

"Will I ever know?" Chaewon asked and she was pretty sure she was using the same tone.

"Do you want to know?" Spider-Man asked, and Chaewon wasn't sure if she sounded dreadful or hopeful.

And then there were no more words spoken and Chaewon took a step closer, pressing up the bottom half of her body against the wall. Her hands that were on the windowsill went up slowly and cautiously until they were cupping the sides of the mask. And she was sure she heard a sharp inhale. She froze, scared the vigilante would pull back, but when there were no signs of movement she continued.

Chaewon's heart thudded in her chest as her fingertips ghosted over the hem of the mask. She looked for any sign up movements once again, and when there were none, she proceeded to latch on to the hem of the mask, once again, slowly and cautiously, bringing it down until she reached the chin and she couldn't bring herself to pull down any further. She wanted to pull away.

And then a hand went up to hold hers before she could pull away, pressing her hand against the mask more.

"Chaewon," It sounded shaky and unstable and if Chaewon didn't feel so lightheaded herself with the intimacy she would have found it rather amusing that she had that effect on the hero. "I-"

"Not right now," Chaewon cut off, slowpy pulling the mask back up before retracting her hands. "Not right now," She restated more for her own sake.

Spider-Man nodded slowly and her hand pulled her mask all the way back up.

"Goodnight, Chaewon," She said and Chaewon barely had it in her to nod before the hero was swinging away once again.

Well. If Chaewon couldn't sleep before, she certainly wouldn't be able to now.

 

* * *

 

Chaewon sat in the library once again, unable to focus on the textbook at hand. What subject was she even trying to study for?

This was all too much. Everything was weird and off and she couldn't come up with a way to fix even one problem. But, then again, maybe there was a way to kill a bird with two stones. She took out her phone and went straight for Minjoo's contact.

_Hey, since you're done with finals now do you want to mess around and try to find Eunbi a girlfriend with me?_

There was typing and typing and more typing. And then the typing stopped and a reply came shortly after.

_Sorry, that sounds like fun, but I still have some things to finish up for graduation._

Right, Minjoo and the others were graduating that semester.

Chaewon sighed and put her phone down. If she couldn't meddle in her own sister's love life with her best friend then what else was there to do while procrastinating studying for finals?

And then, by some strike of chance, Chaewon spotted two of her friends walking down the hall outside of the library. Chaewon gathered her things, deciding it was no use sitting in there any longer when she didn't even know what textbook she was reading, and ran out of the library to catch up to Chaeyeon and Yena who were just about to turn a corner.

"Hey!" Chaewon called out when she was just behind them, and the two girls stopped and turned to face her. Chaeyeon grinned immediately when her eyes landed on her friend, and Yena definitely looked more lively now with a genuine smile on her lips. It was a sight for sore eyes and Chaewon couldn't help the smile that formed on her own face.

"Hey Chaewon, how's it going? You ready for finals next week?" Chaeyeon asked.

Chaewon shook her head and groaned. "Don't remind me, I haven't been able to properly study all week."

"Busy thinking about Spider-Man again?" Chaeyeon asked, teasing grin on her face. Chaewon's eyes went wide and she instantly shook her head in denial--which really was of no use because Chaeyeon and Hyewon had already somewhat caught on her to her infatuation for the notorious vigilante. But Yena didn't know and when she looked at her she took notice of the way her eyes avoided her gaze and her head tilted downwards.

"Shut up, Chaeyeon," Chaewon hissed. "I told you it's not like that."

Chaeyeon shrugged, but she still had that teasing grin tugging at her lips. Chaewon rolled her eyes and focused her attention on the other instead, feelings of annoyance vanishing as soon as the other met her eyes.

"Well, I told Hyewon I'd meet up with her to work on our final speech for Public Speaking, so see you two later," Chaeyeon said, slowly backing away until she turned around the corner and left the two of them alone.

Chaewon exhaled, a small smile covering her face. "You look better lately."

Yena nodded, a small smile tugging at her own lips.

"I've been doing better."

"That's good."

"Yeah."

And things were feeling awkward -- maybe not awkward  _awkward_ , but it was weird. It wasn't like them. Like their friendship. Like they way they'd been before. There was something else there.

"So, Eunbi is totally like a lonely loser and she won't leave me alone these days, so I was thinking I wanted to find her a girlfriend, you know, so she'll stop drinking wine in the middle of the day while watching her dramas and--" She was rambling "--would you like to join me?"

"Meddling in Eunbi's love life instead of studying for finals? Chaewon, do you even have to ask?"

And all feelings of awkwardness vanished. They were just two friends, mischievously smiling at the scheming they were up to, just like years ago.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> so i think the next chapter is going to be the revealing. like, at the very end of the very long chapter.... yeah, it's going to be a long chapter. and then the chapter after that will be the most long awaited chapter so... i hope you're all excited cus i know i am.
> 
> i'm also nervous cus i hope i can do these next two chapters justice, but oh well i'll see how it goes.
> 
> also, thanks for all the support, i am proud to say my health is finally better, i have started a new fresh semester that i am liking so far, and i've already started the next chapter. once again, thanks for the support, thanks for reading, and i hope you all enjoy!
> 
> aaaand that mask scene between chaewon and spiderman ( yall know the one ;)) is thanks to my sister for constantly pestering me about including a scene like that
> 
> -J


	7. The Calm Before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chaewon's mouth remains open, still no noise comes out. Her chest is heaving and her eyes are searching, searching for something behind the mask. That stupid mask. Every time she thinks they are intimate, close, connected — that damn mask.
> 
> "Can you take off the mask?" Chaewon asks before she can think. She never thinks when she's around the hero as of late. The hero made a blur out of her mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter is a long one, and it is only the first half of a bigger chapter... i talk more about this in the end notes.
> 
> sorry for the long wait.
> 
> enjoy!

Chaewon couldn't remember the day she first met Yena as vividly as she wished she could which made her feel guilty because she was sure the other could remember it as if it were just yesterday.

But if Chaewon sat down and thought about it, _really_ thought about it, she could remember most of the events of that day. It was her first year without Minjoo at her side, and her first year of high school. The school was big and unfamiliar and she didn't have any friends who knew the school enough to show her around. She had gotten lost walking to either the gym, or the theater, it was far long ago and she could hardly remember, and the bell had rung long ago and she was sure she was holding the map upside down. There was no sign of any students except for maybe one or two heading to the opposite building of where she was heading and she was just about ready to throw her map and take a seat when out of nowhere she felt another body press up against her own and felt herself falling when an arm wrapped around her waist and pulled her up instantly, pressing her against the person once again.

"Sorry, I'm so sorry!" A voice yelled and the person almost immediately let Chaewon go, stepping back away from her, allowing Chaewon to finally lay eyes upon the owner of the voice and body.

That was the moment she met Yena.

"I didn't mean to accidentally run into you — well, I guess that's the meaning of accidentally, but then again some people do that kind of stuff and say 'accident' without it really being an accident and—"

"How did you catch me so fast?"

"What? Oh, I just have fast reflexes, I guess?" The girl shrugged, scratching the back of her neck as she finally scanned Chaewon's face fully. "Are you lost?"

Chaewon nodded.

"Well, I can show you to your class if you want. Can I see your schedule?"

Without much thought, Chaewon had pulled out her schedule and handed it over to the girl. Yena smiled when she scanned the sheet of paper and handed it back to her.

"Lucky for you, that's the class I'm heading to now, so I can—"

"Yena!"

A voice called out and the other girl's eyes went wide instantly. The two girls turned around, and from the direction that the girl — Yena — had come from was one of the coaches running down the filed, heading their way.

"Quick, come with me," Yena said as she turned to Chaewon and extended a hand out for her to hold, but the latter was quick to pull away. "Do you trust me?"

"We just met, why would I trust you?" Chaewon asked and the other frowned, thinking about it for a moment.

"Wait, you're right, uh, okay, that's valid, so-"

Chaewon smiled, finding the conflicted look on the girl's face rather amusing. She then took the girls hand to shut her up and found that it worked when she stopped her rambling and smiled. And then they ran off and went through a 'super secret shortcut' that no one besides Yena knew — Chaewon was sure that wasn't true, but she played along anyway — and they reached their class rather late. And then the rest was history.

Yeah, thinking about it now, that truly was quite the meeting.

 

"What's up? Thinking about me?" Yena asked, leaning in and pressing her body up against her, when she noticed how off her friend looked.

Chaewon rolled her eyes at the teasing grin on her friends face and shoved her off. "You wish," She lied just because she knew how Yena would act if she admitted she _was_ thinking about her.

"Well, I'm done with your sister's profile, now all that's left is the offers," Yena spoke, turning her attention back to the laptop in front of them. "But your sister is pretty hot when she's not yelling at people for breathing, so it shouldn't take long."

Chaewon snorted and elbowed her friend who did the same in return. And then they waited. And just as Yena had predicted, it didn't take long and there were quite a few offers and, while most of them weren't very pleasing, there were a few decent ones here and there.

"Remember, Eunbi likes cute girls who will support her in every thing she does, especially her work," Chaewon spoke, leaning in so she could get a good look at the screen.

"Please, that's all she used to say when we were in high school, remember?"

"You're right, and for that, she was a pain."

The two girls laughed and continued their search for a girlfriend for Eunbi until they heard the door unlock and the older girl walked in to find the giggling girls huddled together on the couch.

"I don't think I missed this," Eunbi grumbled and looked at the two with a deadpan expression etched on her face.

The two girls only laughed harder, huddling closer over the laptop which they both looked at. Deciding to ignore the two, because together they could never be up to any good, Eunbi took out her wine and sat on the other couch, ready to put on one of her dramas.

Chaewon and Yena shared a sneaky glance, one that went noticed but unmentioned by the older girl.

Yeah, it was just like old times.

 

* * *

 

There was a wave — a rush of excitement — that overcame Chaewon. She was excited and she could feel the adrenaline pulsing through her veins. She had to wonder, when was the last time she felt like this? With Spider-Man, the answer came fast and there was a feeling, a clench in her chest. Yeah, Spider-Man allowed her to feel this way. But that was different, Spider-Man was Spider-Man — a hero whom she shared a secret with. This was her everyday life and the only person she felt this way with in her day to day life was — Yena.

Before there was Yena, there was no sort of corruption in her life. Her only close friend had been Minjoo and, for as long as she could remember, Eunbi was always busy. It wasn't like she and Minjoo never did crazy things together, they were a good pair of friends and they had their moments when they were younger like most kids at the age, but with Yena it was different. From the first moment she met the girl there was chaos; Chaewon had never run away from a teacher like that first day. At first, Chaewon found it kind of frustrating and irritating — how could someone be so careless and chaotic and aloof? It was an odd transition, going from being best friends with Minjoo to being close friends with Yena, but Chaewon ended up liking it. There was someone new in her life that she hadn't known she'd needed before — a new thrill.

Chaewon didn't realize how much she'd missed that until she and Yena were sitting at the far back of the restaurant, wearing caps and hoodies and sunglasses at the end of spring, near the beginning of summer, waiting for Eunbi's blind date. There was joy, excitement, and thrill. Yeah, Chaewon had missed it — she hadn't realized it before because Spider-Man really filled that void in her life. When Yena and her fought, there was Spider-Man to fill in the missing presence, and maybe that was why she liked the hero so much. Because she brought something to her that she hadn't realized she was missing. But now she had Yena again — at least until the older was running off once again without some sort of explanation — and she wanted to make the moment last.

"We have about three minutes before they get here," Yena says, turning around in her seat to face Chaewon once again after glancing back for the fifth time since they'd gotten there, "I'm kind of nervous."

Chaewon frowns, an amused smile tugging at her lips. "Why?"

"Because Eunbi is mad scary!" Yena exclaims as if it were such an obvious answer. "If this doesn't go well she's going to be  _pissed_."

Chaewon smiles, finding the look on Yena's face rather endearing. "Well, then let's hope this girl is as cute as her profile suggests."

"Remember that time we tried setting Eunbi up with a guy?" Yena asks, almost laughing out loud at the memory.

Chaewon rolls eyes her eyes, though another smile still makes its way onto her face. "Can't believe we thought she was straight for a while."

Yena smiles fondly as her eyes trail down to her hands and a new wave of silence washes over them. Chaewon recognizes the atmosphere, she's grown accustomed to it over the past few months — when Yena is becoming distant and feels like she was to explain herself, this is the atmosphere that overtakes them.  She doesn't like it. She doesn't like this new feeling between them that wasn't there before. She doesn't like how far Yena feels even when she sits right across from her. And she doesn't like how the older girl is constantly apologizing. And feeling like the other is about to do just that, Chaewon feels tempted to reach over the table and hold the other's hand in her own, to cut her off before she can say something that will ruin the moment, to look her in the eye and smile at her with a knowing look before moving on to another lighthearted topic. But even thinking about doing that feels weird to her in a way that it wouldn't have before; As if she doesn't know if that's okay between them anymore. She wonders, what's changed?

Chaewon is thankful when there is a ding and the two turn to find Eunbi's blind date walking in. The two girls exchange a look before they go back to watching the girl, who they knew as Kei from her profile, take a seat by the window on the other side, not far from sight. And it isn't even one minute later that Eunbi is walking in to meet with Chaewon — or so she believed, from the text which her sister had sent earlier — and is glancing around for the girl. Chaewon and Yena duck instantly, sliding against the wall as far as they can to be hidden from sight.

"Oh, are you Eunbi?" They hear a voice ask, which they presume to belong to the blind date. They exchange another look before peeking over, only to find a very confused Eunbi staring at the other girl. But before she has any chance to ask, the girl — Kei — is already talking again, sounding rather bright and cheery. "I was really worried you would be some fake — like a _guy_ — you know, it's always such a risk with online dating. And you looked so pretty in your profile picture I really thought I was being catfished by some perverted guy — it's happened before, you know—"

And at the mention of online dating, Eunbi is look around once again — this time for a specific pair — and the two girls are sliding up against the wall once again, giggling mess and all. But when they peek once again, Eunbi is slowly taking a seat across from the date and by the look on her face the two girls can tell she's slowly giving into it.

"—so my friends are always telling me to stop online dating for this reason, but girls are just so pretty and I really want a girlfriend and isn't the feeling of being in love so wonderful and — oh no, have I talked too much?"

Yena and Chaewon smile when they see Eunbi shaking her head, knowing she's a goner. Yeah, they picked a good one.

 

* * *

 

"You two!"

"Fuck, she's going to kill us!" Yena yells and wastes no time taking hold of Chaewon's hand and pulling her along with her. The two girls shout and scream and laugh as Eunbi chases behind them, yelling something about the two being too nosy for their own good. And it isn't until they have reached a park, several streets away, when they can no longer hear the older girl yelling at them, that they finally stop to catch their breath. Except they don't really get to catch their breath, because they're both laughing so loud into each others shoulders that they find a hard time calming down for a few minutes.

"She's definitely going to kill me when I get home," Chaewon says in between gasps, leaning against the tree behind her, hand going up to her chest in a useless attempt to calm her labored breathing and rapid heart rate. She looks over at Yena who looks just as disheveled as her, hair out of place, cheeks burning red, and grin wide as can be. Chaewon smiles at the sight. It reminds her of the first day they met, and it comes to her so vividly, that day they ran away together. That first day they met.

"Don't worry, she'll kill me worse than you," Yena responds, still sounding rather out of breath, cheeks still flushing.

"Then we can be dead together, a tragical romance," Chaewon says with a giggle and Yena only smiles back softly.

There's a moment of silence where the two just stare at each other — it's not uncomfortable like the other moments they've had lately, and it's not dreading, as if the good time they managed to have was about to be ruined by the words of one or the other. It wasn't necessarily comfortable either, they were both too aware for it to be comfortable, but that wasn't so bad Chaewon found. They were basking in the moment, breathing it in, savoring it.

And finally, Chaewon spoke up, as lightly as she could because she still had that fear inside of her, the fear of scaring Yena off, "Why are you staring at me like that?"

"I missed this, Chaewon," Yena finally speaks and something in her look changes and her smile falters. She's hesitant.

Chaewon wanted to say that she did too. She wanted to reassure the other, to let her know things could continue as was — if it was before, Chaewon figured she could do just so, but things had changed and there was something there now that wasn't there before. She wished she could stop thinking. She never had to think around Yena before.

Deciding that her thoughts would not allow her to say anything else, she settles for doing something that was always left to Yena — talk before she could think.

"Then let's continue this way."

Yena's eyes flicker up and Chaewon hadn't realized the other had been avoiding her gaze until their eyes lock and she feels that clench once again. The guilt? Is that it?

The silence that comes this time is actually uncomfortable and the eye-contact only makes it more unbearable.

And then Yena takes a step forward, and then another — which is really all the steps she can take with Chaewon being backed up against the tree behind her.

"Chaewon—" It sounds so breathy yet heavy, in the same way that she said her name all the time lately — or had she said it the same way before? Chaewon had thought about it once before, wondered if this was something new or something she hadn't noticed until recently that her blissful ignorance had vanished. There wasn't much time to ponder the idea, because before either of them could think or even breathe, Yena's hand went up to smack an incoming ball before it could hit Chaewon's face, just as someone in the distance yelled, "Incoming!"

And Chaewon gasped.

The ball bounces off of Yena's hand and thuds onto the floor, rolling away from them and then down the small hill, making its way back to its owner. But Chaewon is too distracted with the look of panic that flashes through Yena's eyes and lingers there as the other stares at her — not once had Yena's gaze faltered, not even to glance at the incoming ball.

"Yena—" Chaewon starts, but what was she going to say? She feels dizzy, intoxicated, lightheaded—

"I-I think I have to go help graduation with Yuri things — uh, no — help Yuri with graduation things," Yena says and Chaewon can so much as nod before the older girl is already running off, almost tripping over her own feet.

And Chaewon slides down against the tree, finally releasing a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding in.

 

* * *

 

"You look rather exasperated today," Spider-Man says when Chaewon stumbles upon the hero who's dangling by a web upside down, waiting for her near her apartment that night.

Chaewon's mouth is agape in surprise and for a moment, her fight of flight response is ready to kick in when she notices it is only the hero whom she has a crush on and whom seems to be the center of all of her problems as of late.

"I wasn't expecting you today," Chaewon says, taken back by her own frigid tone. Spider-Man also seems rather taken back by the hostility, because she almost drops from the web she's holding on to before successfully balancing herself once more.

Chaewon clears her throat and she has to wonder what the hell is making her act this way with the one person whom she felt so comfortable around lately. But there's this aching feeling in her chest that makes her want to close off anything and everything. Maybe she needs some rest.

"I thought I'd swing by," Spider-Man says, soft and cautious, unsure with the tone she had received her with that night. "I'm not as busy these days..."

Chaewon sighs, hands going up to her face as she thinks. She was being weird.

"Is something wrong?" Spider-Man softly speaks up and Chaewon sure feels like a fool with the way her chest clenches and thuds and aches and does all these things which she can't understand, driving her further into this suffocating hole that's filled with nothing but all the conflicting feelings and emotions she's been feeling the past few months.

"No, I think I just need to wind down," Chaewon finally speaks, forcing herself to look at the hero.

The hero hums, taking a quick glance around before turning to her and asking, "Do you want to look at the city lights?"

A smile cracks on Chaewon's face as she examines the hand that the hero extends for her to take. "You know, last time we did this I was pretty scared."

Spider-Man scoffs. "I thought you said you trusted me? Then again, when you think about it, I'm a complete stranger so you're valid."

There is a hitch, a moment where things seem to slow down and she is aware of the moment she is currently in, and Chaewon feels something clench in her chest as her nails dig into her palms. But she pushes it all down and reaches out for the hand, a tinge of a smile prancing on her lips.

Chaewon's hand is barely in Spider-Man's grasp before the hero is pulling her up against her, tightening her grip, before swinging off into the night sky. Building by building, street by street, the two swung through the city until they reached a rooftop that was different from the last, but just as high up with an equating breathtaking view. Chaewon took a moment to walk over to the ledge, hands tight on the railing, eyes closing as the gentle, warm, spring-almost-summer breeze grazed her face, taking it all in. It felt so calm up there, so distant from the troubles down below — the troubles that were the overflowing crumpled pieces of paper that were her complex feelings. But that lasted only so long before one of the reasons of her complex feelings spoke up and she was faced with reality all over again.

"So, are you going to tell me what has you so dazed today?" Spider-Man asks, still standing behind her on the rooftop.

No, she wants to answer, but she knows better than to bottle up her feelings.

"I had a pretty good day," Chaewon replis, but it isn't much of an answer. "I helped my sister find a girlfriend."

"About time," Spider-Man speaks, before cutting herself off, "you know, from what you've told me it just sounded like she needed someone."

Chaewon glances back at the hero, eyes careful and narrowed, and lips pressed into a thin line. The hero shifts uncomfortably under her gaze and she turns back to the city lights. Yeah, the hero was definitely an awkward person, Chaewon smiled to herself.

"I spent the day with a friend whom I haven't spent much time with as of late-" Chaewon pauses, letting herself think back to Yena and the way to the two laughed as they ran away form Eunbi. She smiles fondly. "-It was nice. I missed it."

Chaewon hears some shuffling and when she turns, the hero is suddenly standing next to her.

"The close friend who has felt differently lately?" The hero asks.

Chaewon's eyes narrow once again and she takes a step closer, feeling bold under the city lights and warm spring-almost-summer breeze. She takes notice of how the hero's position falters and she almost smiles to herself, feeling like she has the upper hand. But she remains blank and takes another step, and another. The hero wants to move back, she can tell from the way she is steadying herself by holding on tightly to the railing with one hand. She takes in the proximity and relishes in the warmth she feels — this is different from last time, she notes. The level of intimacy feels nowhere near the way it did the previous night — no one's identity is close to being revealed now, and that feverish want of a kiss is not here this time. But there is still a tingling sensation running through her as she searches, eyes trailing over the mask so closely, breath held in tight.

Chaewon isn't quite sure what she is searching for — perhaps she wants to see what kind of effect she really has on the hero, or, perhaps, there is that feeling deep inside of her that keeps pushing up. The feeling of, _what if?_ The itching thought, the craving desire, the instinctual churn in her stomach, and the persistent heart — _oh no._

Chaewon's own hold on the railing falters and her foot slips beneath her and she falls to the side — it wasn't anything big, her ankle just twisted beneath her, but it wasn't like she was going to fall or anything — but it is the reaction of the hero that matters. Spider-man had gasped and her arms instinctively wrapped around her in a heartbeat, pulling her close and tight. Chaewon stands frozen for a few seconds in her hold, feeling the thudding of her heart in her chest and she hopes the hero can't feel it.

"I wasn't going to fall, my foot just slipped out," Chaewon finally speaks, taking a step back. The hero's grip loosens and lingers before completely vanishing.

"Sorry, it was instinct. My sixth sense."

Chaewon nods and turns around to look out to the city once more, quite aware of her flushing cheeks. She clears her throat, deciding to change the topic. "I'm almost done with your article. I might publish it tomorrow."

"So I'll have people calling me Spider-Girl after tomorrow, huh?" Spider-Man hums with an amused tone.

"I suppose so, if they believe my words."

"I can't wait. I always look forward to your articles."

There was that tugging once again, that itching and persistent feeling deep inside of her. And she smiles, remembering.

"I bet you've read them all."

"Of course," Spider-Man says at the speed of lightning, as if it were the most casual thing ever.

She almost laughs as that feeling pushes up once again, and this time she listens to it.

 

* * *

 

The article was published and the nation was eating it up. It was her most read and shared article and it even trended the whole day. If it was still trending, Chaewon didn't know. Her first final had been that morning so after publishing the news piece she had gone straight to studying, realizing how much she had procrastinated that entire previous week. But walking out of that room she suddenly didn't understand why she spent so much time fretting the previous day, trying to cram an entire semester's worth of content into 24 hours, when the test had just been the questions of all the previous tests mixed into one.

But a greater surprise than the undemanding test or the popularity of her latest article was the presence of the girl waiting for her outside of her classroom. A smile slipped on to her face and she allowed herself to take in the sight before approaching the girl. It had been so long since she'd done this, Chaewon thought. But it was like Yena could feel her staring and her eyes flickered up from her screen, stopping her mindless scrolling. Their eyes locked and Yena pushed herself from the wall which she leaned against, slipping her phone into the back pocket of her jeans, and made her way over to Chaewon, a smile on her face that much reflected the one on hers.

"What a sight for sore eyes, what brings you to this side of the school," Chaewon asks as the two began to walk down the hall, easing into the crowd of students that were rushing to get out after taking their last final of the day.

"I thought we could swing for coffee or something — I mean, you finished your last exam for the day, right?" Yena suggests and as cool as she tries to sound, Chaewon is able to pick up that hint of anxiousness in her tone.

"Sure," Chaewon answers, trying to suppress a wide grin from spreading over her face. "Did you just come wait for me after your test finished? How did you know what time I would finish?"

"I didn't," Yena shrugs. "I just supposed you would finish eventually."

This time, Chaewon does not try to suppress the grin that crept onto her face. Yena had waited for her so they could go eat together and she feels giddy — it was really starting to fell like she had her friend back.

"I spent my time reading your new article," Yena says, taking her phone back out of her pocket and holding it up, the screen turning on for Chaewon to see. "I didn't get to read it yesterday because I was busy — studying, you know — so I was reading it this morning."

Chaewon's face flushes. She hadn't thought of what her friends might say about the article — she had hoped they wouldn't say anything, really. But Yena always read her articles, she had told her that one night that Spider-Man had saved her.

Suddenly, she feels bashful.

"It's good, your article. It's trending number one right now, you know?" Yena says, typing into her phone before holding it up for Chaewon to see.

Chaewon flushes even more.

"I always had a feeling there was something different about Spider-Man. But a girl? How did you even come up with that?"

Chaewon is grateful the girl's gaze is focused on her phone because she is sure she looks like a burning tomato. She doesn't like being interrogated like this, though she knows this is no where near an interrogation — an interrogation would be what she got the previous night form her sister, who was very pleased with the attention of the article, but also full of questions which Chaewon could not answer.

"I just have girl's intuition, I suppose," Chaewon mumbles.

Yena glances up and there is a hint of an amused smile grazing her lips.

"So the other day Chaeyeon said you had a thing for Spider-Man, what did she mean by that? Was it about this?"

There is something in Yena's tone that sounds so amused it makes Chaewon feel something. She is teasing her, playing with her — just like the old days. But this tone holds something else that wasn't there before and it only makes Chaewon flush further.

"It's not a big deal," Chaewon mumbles with an unsure shrug, coming to a stop as they reach the cafe within the school.

Yena only smiles and bumps Chaewon's shoulder as the two walk into the cafe. "Whatever you say, Chaewon."

Chaewon watches the older girl walk ahead, heading for the line. She exhales a big breath, hand going up to her chest, before walking over.

 

* * *

 

Spider-Man came again that night, knocking at Chaewon's window right when she was getting ready to sleep, sending Yena a goodnight message. Chaewon dropped her phone, startled, but her savior shot a web out that reached for the device before it could hit the floor, and pulled it towards her.

"Hmm, who you texting so late at night?" The hero hums, gloved hand holding on tight as a finger grazes over the phone. The device lights up and the lockscreen pops up.

There is silence as Spider-Man examines the lockscreen before she turns the phone around asks, rather bemused, "Who is this?"

Chaewon snatches the phone out of her hand and holds it close to her. "It's my friend — Yena." She flushes once the words came out of her mouth. They had spent the day together after they finished their finals — the cafe, the mall, another cafe — and they had taken a few pictures. Chaewon, being the stupid fool she was, had been so happy she finally got to spend time together again with her friend that, in a moment of vulnerability, she turned one of the filtered and goofy pictures into her lockscreen.

"I see," The hero hums, but says no more. Instead, she hops off the windowsill, stepping into the room, inviting herself to sit at Chaewon's bed. She glances around as Chaewon sets her phone on her desk, checking to see if she has any message from Minjoo — whom she had texted, asking to hang out before her graduation that Friday — and Yena. There are no replies.

"I saw your article," Spider-Man speaks. "Half the nation is calling me Spider-Girl, the other half is in denial, grieving the loss of their masculine hero or whatever."

Chaewon smiles, sitting on the chair at her desk area. "I've seen some comments. I didn't think it would get this crazy."

Spider-Man nods. "I mean, with your genius mind behind the article, I think it deserves the attention."

"So," Chaewon's fingers trace the textbooks on her desk, "are you really that free that you can visit me this often now?"

Spider-Man tosses her head back, chuckling and snorting at Chaewon's words. "Are you really that sick of me? I can just go now if you—"

Chaewon rolls her eyes, knowing that Spider-Man is messing with her, but protests anyway.

"Well, if you really must know, my partner and I have uncovered a few things, and all I will say for now is that this crazy adventure is about to come to an end."

Chaewon watches as Spider-Man fiddles with her fingers, staring down at them.

"So, all the corruption will come to an end soon?"

"Not all, we can't account for the few bad seeds that sprout on their own, but as for the gangs that have been paid by the politician — we're getting there."

Chaewon forces a smile, but there is no hiding that the anxious feeling still rests at the pit of her stomach — that anxious feeling that something bad is to happen soon. This persisting feeling that comes to her so suddenly and unexpectedly — but she forces herself to think, she is only worried for her hero.

"I trust you," She suddenly says, and the hero finally turns to face her. "I trust you can do it, I trust you."

The vigilante stares at her, and she really wishes she could see her face, her reaction. What was she thinking of? Chaewon thinks back to Yena's words that one night when she said she trusted her but not Spider-Man. When she claimed that what Spider-Man was did dangerous work, and spoke of her fears and concerns for her...

Spider-Man did not trust herself. How did Chaewon not see it before?

"Chaewon—"

There it is, that tone that had once seemed so foreign, but has now become so familiar. And Chaewon knows what it means. The hero is thinking, debating the possibilities, weigher her options. To tell Chaewon, to not tell Chaewon. Tell her what? Her true identity? Tell her that she did not trust herself? Tell her of her feelings? Chaewon doesn't know, and she doesn't want to know — not now. Now is not the time.

"I have a final tomorrow," Chaewon suddenly speaks up.

Spider-Man seems to waver, but nods understandingly.

"I'll let you rest, then."

The two say their goodnights and when Chaewon is stepping back from the window, her eye catches sight of the blinking light coming from her phone. She picks up the device and turns it on to fin there are two new messages.

_From: Minjoo💓: Let's meet up tomorrow then ^_^! We can celebrate my graduation and the popularity of your article :) After class? At the cafe?_

_From: My other half: Goodnight! Shouldn't you be sleeping already? You have a final tomorrow. Don't stay up too late or you'll get bad eyebags and won't be able to concentrate!  But I'm sure you'll do great either way. Don't reply to this or I'll know you're still awake! Goodnight! Love you._

 

* * *

 

Chaewon had walked out of her classroom, another undemanding test completed, not realizing she was hoping to catch sight of a familiar ponytail until there was no trace of the girl and she found herself sulking as she made her way to the library. Class at the high school didn't end until much later in the day, hours after her own classes of the day, and she needed time to kill. Unfortunately for the girl, she found it hard to concentrate on a any textbook laid out in front of her and, quite frankly, she didn't think any of her remaining finals would require much study if any at all. That left her with about four hours to kill in a far back hidden corner of the library where she was able to find a small table to herself, distant from the pack of stressed out college students during that killer week.

At first, she had tried to read a book which she found at the front of the library on some display the librarians had set out for the week — they had a new display every week in the failed attempts to encourage students to read more — but when she found herself reading the first line for the fourth time in fifteen minutes she went to put it back. Another five minutes were spent in silence with the loudest noise coming from her cloudy thoughts that were storming up a whirl of emotions inside her head. Eventually, she decided to put some ease to her mind, even if just a bit, and pulled out her laptop to research the root of her problems.

It wasn't hard finding things on Spider-Man, the hero was still trending over her latest article. Actually, it wasn't even Spider-Man anymore, most of the population had settled for a gender-neutral title, The Miraculous Spider, until the hero came out and mentioned their preferred pronouns themselves. Chaewon found it amazing and she was touched that her article had been able to spark such a debate in the nation.

Once Chaewon had spent about an hour looking through several articles and threads, all filled with discussions over the true gender of the Miraculous Spider — or as she secretly referred to her as inside her head: Spider-Girl — she found herself researching deeper than what she'd originally planned. She wanted to say it was curiosity, an ease to her heart that was lost in wonder, but she knew it was more than that. She was almost sure, almost certain — or, at least, her instincts told her so, as Eunbi had said — and she needed to confirm it herself. That itching thought which she needed to scratch, the persistent heart that was relentless, pushing her in one direction, Chaewon was almost there.

It as a click at first, of a video; Spider-Man, as referred to back then, in one of her earlier fights, years ago. Chaewon found herself rather indulged with the video, it was obvious that the hero was still young and foolish and hadn't fully worked out all of her powers; Her webshoots were messy and her footwork was sloppy with fighting; She didn't have a tactic which made the fight run on for twice the amount it would take her now, but she was valiant and persistent and got the job done, nonetheless. As a side-note that brought a smile to Chaewon's face when she noticed, the hero was had not changed with her sense of humor mixed into her fights, and rather so, it was more prominent. As she continued to click through the old videos, it became more evident to Chaewon, that hero used the humor in an attempt to soothe her panic, which had Chaewon biting her bottom lip as a smile spread over her face in a soft fond, in a similar way that she had towards another.

The hero would take a hit before throwing one of her own, awkwardly chuckling to herself before cracking a joke that was so obviously meant to put herself at ease rather than humor her audience or intimidate the villain at hand. Back then, Chaewon had hardly paid attention to the hero, but when she did, she thought she must have truly been brave to joke around in such a dire moment. She had almost found it admirable, then. Now, though, Chaewon shook her head in amusement and disbelief at herself for not knowing before. It had been so obvious.

Chaewon fell into a rabbithole, to say the least. She searched and searched finding all the content which she could of the hero and all of her achievements over the long course of her career — which was a lot, simply put. The hero had been around since Chaewon's last year of junior high? Or was it her first year of high school? Perhaps, since that summer in between, where she and Minjoo had parted ways. Whatever it was, Spider-Man had been around for ages and research was extensive and endless. But she didn't mind and when she received a message from Minjoo telling her she was ready to meet up, she found herself hesitating as she closed her laptop.

 

* * *

 

Minjoo had asked to meet up the usual hangout and when Chaewon arrived, she was surprised to see the girl had gotten there before her.

"I honestly didn't think it had been that long since we last saw each other, but looking at you now I feel like I haven't seen you in ages," Chaewon was the first to speak as soon as she took her seat across from the girl who smiled warmly at her. She returned the smile.

"I guess that's just how much time we spend together — if the distance is noticeable," Minjoo responds and Chaewon can recognize the tone of fondness in her voice.

They stay like that for a while. It is not awkward nor uncomfortable, and Chaewon finds it nowhere near unbearable. She is at ease, she takes notice of, too at ease. But that is how they have always been. The two girls never distanced themselves from each other — not counting those years they had not seen each other, that was a different thing — and they never felt anything strange standing in between them; A mood, a feeling, an atmosphere, none of that ever stood in between of the two, pushing them far apart until they were just as good as strangers. Even when they had not had any contact for five years, they were able to pick up right where they left off. They had no need to tip-toe around each other, ever. The only times when Chaewon had felt herself shift from the other was when she forced herself to feel uncomfortable around her. When she pushed her feelings in a direction that was simply not them.

Chaewon smiles again, this time it is different. Her gaze shifts down and she can only laugh at herself in her head. She was a foolish girl, indeed.

"So what should we celebrate first, your graduation, or my article?" Chaewon asks as their food is being served.

Minjoo hums. "My graduation first, I think something as big as your success needs to be saved for last."

"I want to argue, but there's not use, for you are right, my dear friend. My success is rather big and I fear it be far too great to not save till the end."

"You are such a leo, you know?"

"Am I supposed to take offense to that? Leos are great."

"As said by the leo."

"Still not seeing the offense."

The two girls laugh before transitioning the conversation.

"Honestly, I don't know how Yujin and Wonyoung are going to survive without me. I worry they're going to make utter fools of themselves without me to keep them in check."

Chaewon shrugs, a smile tugging at her lips at the memory of the two interesting girls. Yeah, they were definitely an odd pair. "I mean, I've been keeping in contact with the two and I think they're going to do just fine. They are two fools indeed, there is no denying that, but they are happy fools."

Minjoo chuckles and Chaewon finds the sound as pleasing as ever. This is nice.

"I guess you're right. Maybe I worry too much for them."

"Oh I totally get it. The way I worried for Hitomi and Nako? Not necessarily the same, but similar. I was worried they'd be stuck not understanding much with only Yuri as their guide.  _Yuri_. Can you imagine how worried I was?"

"Oh I definitely understand, Yuri is a case of her own for sure."

"Yuri likes to think she's cute."

"Keyword here is: think."

"Okay, she's a little cute. Definitely has cute and pinchable cheeks."

Minjoo hums as if pondering the idea of Yuri's cheeks before shrugging. "I suppose."

Chaewon sighs as she began to think. She thinks about the girls that were soon to graduate, and she thinks about her first meeting with the two. She had met Yuri through Yena, shortly after she and Yena had grown closer through their first year spent together. The girl had definitely been a case of her own — especially when paired with Yena — but she found herself attached to the girl rather quick. Despite how disgusted she would act when Yuri attempted to appear cute, she really did think the girl was cute.

It is funny, because she and Yuri did not hit it off instantly. Yuri had been Yena's best friend since childhood, and Chaewon had become one of Yena's closest friends in high school, earning herself a new spot in the older girl's heart. Where the two had become used to spending their time with Yena alone, they had to learn to share it when Yuri began attending the high school as well. But they ended up getting along, after a while, and it was all good between them now. Chaewon considered Yuri one of her closest and most treasured friends.

And then there were Hitomi and Nako whom Yuri had introduced her to. They were new and foreign to the country and language, but that did not stop the fondness that Chaewon grew for the girls. They were nice and funny and she tried her best to make the friendships work — which they did, because look at them now.

"So, I bet you're quite excited to graduate?" Chaewon asks, teasing tone and all.

Minjoo snorts. "I sure am. Though, what comes after is rather dreadful. How did you do it?"

Chaewon's eyebrows raise at the question. How  _did_ she do it? It certainly hadn't been easy. All senior year she had longed for nothing more than to get out, her internship being the only thing getting her through along with, well, Yena. Graduation came and went, and of course she feared for what came after but, again, there was Yena. Of course her sister helped her with applications and all that, but she was a busy woman and had only so little time to spare. And walking into the great halls her freshman year, it was Yena that stood by her side. Yet Chaewon could not voice this. Her mouth opened and the words piled up in her throat, stuck.

Chaewon smiles. "Don't worry. You have me to help you."

Minjoo smiles back, but only briefly before she moves on to the next celebration at hand. "Well, I'll text you the details on our graduation party once Yuri figures out the time. Moving on now, I believe there is something far more important that is yet to be celebrated?"

Chaewon shrugs at the flattery, feigning overconfidence. "Yeah, I think it's time to talk about me, right?"

"Your article has been trending at number one since it came out, not once dropping from position. Astonishing. Tell me, Chaewon, how did you do it?"

Once again, Chaewon basks in the glory and holds up her spoon, pretending to be in an interview. "Well first, obviously I have amazing talents, but I would not have been able to do this without the help of my amazing friend, Spider-Man."

It is like Chaewon and Minjoo both realize what she said at the same time, because they both freeze, smiles slowly evaporating from their faces as they continue the eye-contact. Chaewon feels a deep thud in her chest, one of regret and worry. She has mentioned the notorious vigilante without thinking. And Minjoo has reacted.

"You are friends with Spider-Man," Minjoo speaks — or mumbles — and the tone is so unreadable that Chaewon finds it unbearable. Was Minjoo surprised, was she pretending, was she shocked Chaewon would bring it up in public, was she saying it fondly? Her tone showed no indication towards any of those things.

Minjoo lets out a small laugh.

Chaewon's eyebrows raise in genuine confusion. What was that laugh? What did it mean?

"It's just, you know, I have interviewed Spider-Man _so_ often—" Does that sound believable? Chaewon cannot be sure herself.

But the sudden vibrating coming from Minjoo's phone snaps them both out of whatever this weird atmosphere is, and Chaewon's eyes flicker down to catch a glimpse of the contact name before Minjoo turns her phone over. But it is too late, Chaewon has already seen. It is Yena, the caller.

Minjoo clears her throat, and for the first time in a while — or was it the first time ever, period? — she flashes an ingenuine smile, her whole mood changing after glancing at the contact.

"I think I have to continue preparations for the party. Imagine if I left it all to Yuri?"

The two girls laugh, but it is awkward. A feel which both are not used to in their friendship. Uncomfortable.

"Go on," Chaewon smiles, softly, but not fondly, "I'll see you later, right?"

Minjoo nods, glancing down at her phone almost instantly after standing up. Like something urgent is waiting. It is something so familiar to Chaewon, but not in this friendship, no.

Minjoo walks away without so much as a glance. Chaewon winces, remembering the contact name that flashed on the screen and the way that Minjoo turned to her phone, not realizing Chaewon had gotten a look already.

Chaewon sighes, slumping back in her seat. She needed to talk to Minjoo.

 

* * *

 

Spider-Man made frequent visits that week, and that Thursday night was no exception. Chaewon really questioned why the hero swung by that night more than the other nights, when she had a fight just hours ago along with the other Spider-Man. It had been a more tiring one, Chaewon had seen from an adequate distance.

"I am really tired," Is the hero's greeting as soon as Chaewon opens the window.

"I figured," Chaewon muses, "the fight looked pretty intense today."

Spider-Man sighs, making way straight past Chaewon and directly towards her bed, practically tossing herself atop the soft cushions, sighing in content almost.

"I hardly let you in and you toss yourself on my bed? You've gotten too comfortable around me," Chaewon says, trying to sound annoyed, but coming off too amused for her liking.

Spider-Man makes an inaudible noise that comes muffled from the mask and pillows.

"I thought you said it was going to ease up," Chaewon speaks, making way for the bed.

Spider-Man turns onto her side, staring at Chaewon who sits at the edge of the bed.

"It was supposed to. I guess it will sometime next week, maybe," Spider-Man speaks more to herself, "I suppose the more intense fight has something to do with us getting closer. I mean, we are quite ready to take down the guy, but there are precautions that we must take to ensure—"

Spider-Man glances back up at Chaewon. "Safety."

"You could be in danger?" Chaewon asks, feeling that same worry at the pit of her stomach which she'd been feeling for the past few weeks.

Spider-Man chuckles. "You worrying about me? You truly have gotten attached."

Chaewon rolls her eyes, but the smile lingers on her face. Yes, Spider-Man has this sort of power over her, she thinks fondly. She has come to terms with it.

But the smile soon drops from Chaewon's face and she turns to the hero, a more serious atmosphere taking over the room. "I'm serious," Chaewon says after a few seconds of just staring, and she hopes the room is the dark because she is sure her gaze is heavy and longing and if the hero were to notice, teasing would be assured, "I don't want you to be in danger."

Spider-Man does a sort of awkward chuckle that lets Chaewon know she wants to brush it off, though she is also worried. How she has become so good at reading the hero is something she no longer questions. She knows, now, why.

"Don't worry," The hero says in what Chaewon is sure is meant to come off as reassuring, but comes off rather weak and vulnerable.

Another moment of silence passes through and by the time that Chaewon comes back to the moment at hand, Spider-Man is already sitting up beside her, body gently brushing up against hers. The hero faces her and Chaewon tries to ignore the flutter she feels in her chest, but the moment makes her feel so weak and lightheaded, almost intoxicated like that other night. If a moment of intimacy is to come like the last, she is not sure, but she finds herself hoping.

"Chaewon," there it is, never without a failed appearance, the heavy mention of her name. Chaewon is embarrassed at the way just the mention of her name makes her feel. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes, I've told you before," Chaewon says in a heartbeat and, again, she instantly feels embarrassed at her immediate response. For a moment she fears the hero is about to crack a joke, poke fun at the vulnerability she shows around her, tease her for the trust she has aquired in her. But the hero surprises her.

"Good. Because I don't trust myself." The words astonish her and her mouth opens the slightest, but no noise comes out and the hero continues. "I just need your trust. That's good enough for me."

Chaewon's mouth remains open, still no noise comes out. Her chest is heaving and her eyes are searching, searching for something behind the mask. That stupid mask. Every time she thinks they are intimate, close, connected — that damn mask.

"Can you take off the mask?" Chaewon asks before she can think. She never thinks when she's around the hero as of late. The hero made a blur out of her mind.

"I—" The hero begins, but Chaewon shakes her head.

"I can cover my eyes," She begins to look, again, before she can think. Fuck reason and logic, Chaewon wanted this. She  _needed_  this. "You don't even have to speak without it, I just—" Chaewon pauses as her hands clutch on tightly to a jacket she found scattered on the floor. She releases a heavy breath. "—I need to know there is someone underneath the mask — for the sake of my sanity."

Spider-Man nods, and Chaewon is sure the hero feels just as intoxicated by the heavy atmosphere as she does. She can feel it — or she hopes she does.

Chaewon folds the thin sweater before tying it around her head, covering her eyes. She thinks she could have just closed her eyes and made do without it, but she knows, in all honesty, she would not be able to hold back the need to open her eyes — the need to look.

"Okay," Spider-Man speaks lowly, "I'll take it off."

Chaewon hears some shuffling, and she thinks she's never felt her heart do so many things at once as she does now. The thudding, the pounding, the clenching, the sudden bursting feeling — it is so overwhelming in a way that can only feel so maddeningly good and _fuck_ , if she feels like this now, how would she feel if, well, it was too crazy to think about in a moment like this. But the thought lingers in her mind and fills her up with an intense sensation.

Chaewon can hear the breathing of the hero. Of the person beneath the mask. She wonders for a moment if the hero is going to say something, anything, to let her know the mask is fully off. But the voice would be recognizable and the hero would not want that, Chaewon knows, and besides, the feeling she gets is enough to let her know that the mask is truly off.

Also, she feels the hero's hand take hold off her own, bringing it up to her face so unbearably slow that by the time she is finally touching her skin she feels she is panting. She isn't, she hopes, that would be humiliating. But her chest is heaving and she feels she has never longed for something so much that it made her heart  _hurt_ in the most literal sense she could put it in.

And suddenly it hits Chaewon: She is  _touching_  the hero whom she had longed to touch for so long and, no, it is not through the suit, through the mask. It is her skin, her  _bare_  skin. Her fingers graze over her face and she doesn't think she's ever felt so alive, so surreal, so present in a moment like this. It is bewildering to her, how much a simple touch affects her.

Chaewon finally goes for it, and her hand cups the cheek of the hero and she swears, she  _swears_ , she can feel the hero lean in to the touch. Lean in closer, and closer, and _closer_ until their teamwork has fully brought the vigilante's face inches away from her own. She can feel her hot breath graze over her lips.

Fuck.

"Chaewon! Do you want takeout or are you already asleep?!"

_Fuck._

"Oh my gosh," Chaewon breathes out, realizing her sister had arrived late from a date instead of the usual going to sleep after eating dinner and drinking wine routine.

She hears some scrambling and she is about to rip the blindfold off when she hears the hero once again, "It's back on."

The blindfold comes off and when she blinks the hero is already at her window.

"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

She can only nod in response before the hero is already swinging away and her door is opened wide, her sister bursting in with an, "Oh! You're awake. I thought I heard something, were you on the phone with—?"

Eunbi must notice Chaewon's flushed face because she immediately rushes over with an, "Are you okay? Do you have a fever? Why didn't you call?"

Chaewon pushes her sister away. "I'm okay. I think I just need to sleep."

Eunbi gives her an unsure look, but does not question any further. She says her goodnights and turns off the light, closing the door behind her as she exits the room.

And then Chaewon is left alone in the unbearable silence of the dark room. No Spider-Man at her side. A wavering heart keeping her up. Truly, _fuck_.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> haha. okay, hear me out, i know i've been gone for a while, but... this chapter is actually part one of a 15k+ chapter that i spent fooorever working on. i'm not kidding, i wanted this chapter to be absolutely perfect because it is so important, but then it became really long and... i split it into two. so here you have one update and tomorrow at about 12-1 or 3-4 (depending on whether or not i can finish editing early) in CDT time, I will upload the second half which will, indeed, include the revealing of the true identity of our lovely hero.
> 
> but for now, it is late and i really need sleep, therefore i cannot edit and upload the second half right now, so see you all in about 12 hours maybe.
> 
> thank you for reading, i hope you enjoyed
> 
> -j


	8. Crashing Waves

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You," Chaewon says hardly above a whisper when she catches sight of the all black suit with red accents here and there. Realizing what she says, she adds a, "What brings you here?" To avoid sounding so surprised and maybe even rude.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw// near the end of the chapter there is some blood mentions, i don't think it is graphic, but just in case some people aren't very comfortable with that

"Why do you look so flushed?" A voice has Chaewon jumping in her seat that Friday afternoon.

"Fuck, Minjoo, please warn me next time," Chaewon gasps as a hand goes up to her chest.

"I waved at you when I walked in," Minjoo snorts, teasing look on her face, "So, what has you so flustered today?"

How is Chaewon supposed to explain this one?

"I-I'm not flustered this morning."

Oh that is definitely not convincing, Chaewon grimaces when she hears how awkward and voice her tone is.

Minjoo raises an eyebrow that lets Chaewon know she isn't buying it. "Okay, for the sake of your blushing face, I will let this rest. For now, at least. Anyways, I graduate tonight, anything you would like to tell me before I step into the real world and into adulthood?"

Chaewon stares for a moment and ponders over it before she shakes her head, no, and shrugs. "Nope. I can't think of anything."

"Boo, you suck."

"Trust me, nothing really changes. Life kinda just, well, moves on? Don't expect too much change, I suppose is all I can say. You'll be disappointed if you do."

"I suppose I can take that." Minjoo ponders. "Well, am I going to be able to see you up on the stands tonight?"

"Of course. Don't worry, when your name gets called Eunbi, Yena, I, and the others will cheer as loud as we can for you — the other three as well. I joked we should all boo for Yuri, but Yena refused. Shame. Would have been funny."

Minjoo laughs and it is so nice to hear, Chaewon smiles. "You're mean to her."

"Hey, she is basically my twin, I think I have a right. You know people would actually mix us up before?"

Minjoo tilts her head, examining Chaewon's face with a hum, debating the statement of the two looking alike. "I guess I can see it. I don't know, maybe I've just spent too much time looking at your face before to confuse you with anyone else."

Chaewon wants to take it lightly, but she has learned over the past few weeks and knows those words hold deeper meaning. Still, she laughs and brushes it off. This was something that was to be dealt with later. Now, the focus was on Minjoo and her graduation.

"So, the graduation is tonight and the party is tomorrow — yet you are sitting here with me instead of getting ready," Chaewon changes the topic as casually as she can.

Minjoo shrugs. "I like spending time with you. I need a breather with all the chaos right now in my life. Though—" Minjoo looks down at her phone and sighs, "Yujin and Wonyoung are blowing up my phone right now. They want to help me with my outfit and makeup, so I was supposed to meet up with them. I guess I should go or they'll sulk until their own graduation."

Chaewon laughs at the girls, thinking they definitely did seem the type to get upset when not showered with attention. They were cute.

"Alright, go on. If they find out I'm holding you back they might not like me so much anymore. See you tonight?"

Minjoo flashes a grin.

"See you tonight."

 

* * *

 

Chaewon took a much longer time getting ready than she would have liked to admit. Doing her makeup, choosing an appropriate outfit for the occasion that still looked cute, doing her hair — who was she trying to impress?

"Chaewon, Yena is here!" Her sister called out to her while she wrapped a piece of hair around the curler. The loud shout startled her and she let her hand slip, finger brushing up against the hot iron.

"Fuck," She mumbled, retreating her hand and blowing on it, just as the door to her room opened.

"Did you burn yourself?" Yena's voice rings through her ears and soon, she feels the girls presence right behind her, looking over her shoulder to catch a glimpse of her hand.

Chaewon nods, blowing on her finger. "It's nothing big," She says, to let the girl know she doesn't have to stand so close by her.

Yena snorts and seconds later, Chaewon hears the girl move to the other side of the room, throwing herself onto her bed.

"Who are you trying to impress?"

It sounds teasing, but Chaewon can hear the curious inquiring in her voice.

The last curl slips out of Chaewon's grasp and she sets the curler down. She stands and turns to look at the girl on the bed.

"How do I look?"

Chaewon is finally able to get a good look at the other girl who leans against the headboard of her bed, toying with her phone. She wears a skirt and a nice shirt, much like her own outfit, but her shirt is off the shoulder and her hair is tied back into a low ponytail with her bangs falling down in a manner that is neater than the usual. Maybe Chaewon isn't the only one who put in effort tonight, she thinks. But the thought seems to dangerous to her.

"You're not paying attention to me," Chaewon huffs when Yena continues to type a series of things into her phone, frown etched on her face.

"Sorry, it's just—" Yena glances up, eyes finally catching sight of Chaewon. She pauses and scans the girl and the action brings a flustered flush to Chaewon's face. "Uhm, Yuri is just worried she's going to trip in front of everyone when she goes up to get her degree. You look good."

Chaewon forces a laugh at the comment on Yuri. "Funny. It _is_ something that would happen to her." She doesn't know how to address the second part and opts for, "So, should we get going? I think Eunbi should be ready by now."

Yena chuckles with a shake of her head, a too bright, flashing grin plastered on her face. It's nice, Chaewon allows herself to think for a moment, how Yena smiles like that more often now. "She opened the door for me with a makeup brush in one hand and her face only half caked with foundation. Her hair was also up in rollers."

Chaewon laughs at the image in her head, but soon the atmosphere grows awkward and she doesn't what to do with the situation at hand. She walks over to the bed, feeling rather exposed by just standing, and takes a seat besides Yena.

"I can't believe Yuri is finally graduating," Chaewon says, because she can find no other conversation to make up fast enough, "Nako and Hitomi too."

Yena hums and Chaewon is aware of the strong gaze coming from her. Those deep, watchful eyes that always seem to hold more than what she assumes at first.

"I remember when I first met her some time freshman year. I never thought she and I would become such close friends, then sophomore year rolls in and look at us now. Close friends."

"If I can remember correctly, I don't think you two were very fond of each other at first," Yena replies softly, fond tone in her voice, "Why was that? Were you two fighting over me?"

Chaewon spares her friend a glance, and the other flashes her an overly-cheeky grin. She rolls her eyes.

"If I say yes, you'll let it get to your head."

"Perhaps."

"Whatever."

"You know you love me."

"Perhaps."

"You can't use my own response against me."

"But I just did."

The two girls share a laugh and keep their conversation going until Eunbi comes knocking at the door, telling them to hurry because she is ready as if they had not been waiting for her that entire time. And soon enough, the three girls head off, joking about Eunbi's new girlfriend all the way through.

 

* * *

 

Graduation is a success: The girls cheer loudly for their friends, Yuri does not trip, and Eunbi takes plenty of pictures just like a year before, during Chaewon and Chaeyeon's graduation.

The girls all meet up after the ceremony, when Eunbi insists on taking more pictures. A picture of the four graduating girls, one of Sakura with Nako and Hitomi, another one of the same girls but with Chaeyeon, one of Chaewon and Minjoo, one of Yuri and Yena, one of Chaewon with Nako and Hitomi, one of Hyewon with Yuri, one of Minjoo with Wonyoung and Yujin (who Eunbi instantly claims as her own) and so on until they all protest and she finally puts the camera down.

"Alright, alright, I'm just very proud of my girls," Eunbi had said, pretending to wipe away some tears.

The girls separated after that, saying it was late, or that they would celebrate the next day instead, or that they needed to celebrate with their parents. Then there was only Minjoo and Chaewon standing in the parking lot, Eunbi waiting in the car.

"You look good tonight," Chaewon says.

"Wonyoung and Yujin aren't so bad at what they do, I suppose. But you look good too." Minjoo smiles that same smile Chaewon has grown fond of.

"Thanks. I knew Eunbi was going to take plenty of pictures — I had to be prepared."

There is a moment of silence that feels too unbearable for the usual in their friendship and soon, both find themselves speaking at the same time.

"I have to tell you something."

"I have something to say."

Silence falls over them once more, both cautiously waiting for the other to speak first.

Minjoo takes the first step. "What is it?"

Chaewon opens her mouth and closes it only seconds later. She opens again. "Tomorrow. I think, I'll tell you then instead."

Minjoo looks reluctant, but nods. "I think, tomorrow I'll tell you as well."

"Okay. Tomorrow, then?"

"Tomorrow?"

 

* * *

 

When Chaewon enters her room that night she is not too surprised to find the hero already on her bed, leaning against the headboard with a book in hand.

"You're going through my things now," Chaewon asks, finding the image rather endearing. The hero sets the book down and looks up.

"Boring book. You look good tonight. Though you usually look good, so I don't know if that's much a compliment."

"Are you trying to flirt?"

"I thought that was a common thing between us, no?"

Chaewon cocks an eyebrow, hoping her blush doesn't show in the dark of the room. "I suppose."

"Seriously though, you really do look very pretty tonight. You trying to impress someone?"

Chaewon heads over to her vanity on the other side of the room and begins to remove her jewelry, keeping sight of the hero through the mirror.

"Maybe?"

"Should I be jealous, or is it me?"

"A friend," Chaewon muses, still staring at the hero through the mirror.

The hero sits up and Chaewon can only imagine the look of disbelief on her face.

"Wait, are you serious? Who?"

"I'll tell you soon," Chaewon responds, tying her hair up into a ponytail. She stands and walks over to her drawers, taking out a set of pajamas. "Can you turn so I can change?"

The hero does as told, but does not stop talking. "Okay, so you really aren't messing with me, right?"

"Nope," Chaewon indulges. She's having too much fun with this.

"Are you sure it isn't me?" The hero asks, still facing the wall.

"I already said, I'll tell you soon."

"Okay, but how soon?" In like, five minutes soon, or in-a-month soon?"

"Soon."

"Okay you're just messing with me now."

"It sounds like you're jealous."

"Really, I'm not," The hero scoffs with a voice crack that makes the argument that much less convincing.

"You can turn now," Chaewon says, finished changing.

The hero turns, but does not let go off the subject.

"Okay, but I really am not jealous, so if you're saying this to make me jealous you can stop now, cus' I'm not jealous. Why should I be jealous anyway? I mean, I'm super cool. I'm Spider-Man. How many people do you know who can say that? Just one: Me. So, yeah."

The hero rubs the back of her neck as if just realizing she had let out a nervous rant. Chaewon smiles at the sight.

"I think it is time I take my leave," Spider-Man abruptly says, pushing herself off the bed and walking over to the window.

"Already?" Chaewon asks, feeling the deflation of her heart at the hero's words. She cringes at how whiny and clingy she sounds.

The hero stops and turns to her, taking a glance out the window. "I have a long night ahead of me, my princess, it would be unwise of me to stay too long."

Chaewon lets out a snort at the words of the hero. "Why are you talking like that? My princess?"

The hero shrugs, but lets out her own laugh. "I thought I'd be romantic or something, like in the comics you know? But seriously, I promised my partner I would only make a quick stop before meeting up with her. We really do have a long day ahead of us. We're—" the hero hesitates and Chaewon gets that dreadful feeling once again. "Doesn't matter what we are doing, point is, all of this will end soon and then, I promise, I can tell you—" The hero cuts herself off once more and Chaewon gets another feeling that feels quite contradictory to the other. A tightening sensation on her chest that has her breathing slowing and her heart pounding at an incredibly slower yet stronger beat. A hopeful feeling, perhaps. Maybe deep inside her she knows, there is only one answer to what the hero could say. The promise of soon, _I'll tell you who I am_. Soon, _it will all be revealed_. Soon, _we can be more than just a girl and her saviour whose identity remains nothing but a guessed anonymity to her_. Something more, perhaps, if the world allows it to be so.  _Soon._

The hero remains perched on the window, but leans down so she is merely centimeters away from Chaewon's face, a web shot out from her palm in the opposite direction to help stabilize herself. She leans in closer and closer, until Chaewon feels the cold and lifeless mask press against her forehead.

"I'll see you tomorrow," The hero so much as whispers, but Chaewon finds it enough. She whispers back a soft goodbye and she no longer cares. She doesn't care if she wounds meek and submissive, she doesn't care if sounds nothing short of a fool in love, she doesn't care if her voice is completely gone by the end of her goodbye. She has a somewhat promise now. It is not a complete promise, she is aware, the hero did not explicitly state what was promised and for when. But it is enough. The hero leans back and lets the web pull her away into the dark night.

Chaewon sleeps peacefully that night.

 

* * *

 

Chaewon spent her Saturday in distractions. Early in the morning she went out with Eunbi to eat breakfast before they parted ways with her sister going to work and she deciding to complete some tasks which she had been pushing off due to finals. Laundry and other chores, some grocery shopping and stocking up on several different things she'd been needing, emails and work stuff, errands here and there, and soon it was lunch and she met up with Chaeyeon and Hyewon to eat at the usual. After they headed off to Sakura's where the party would take place, and began setting up. Hitomi and Nako showed up not longer after, claiming they wanted to see how it was going. Wonyoung and Yujin later texted Chaewon saying they wanted to help prepare the party for their best friend Minjoo, though they ended up not doing much besides eating the snacks. And soon it was only thirty minutes before the party was to begin and there were no signs of Yena, Yuri, or Minjoo.

"We were with Yuri earlier and then she got a call and dipped," Nako had shrugged when Hyewon asked. "Probably Yena."

Chaewon didn't pay much attention, she hadn't been home since early that day and she needed to get ready. She excused herself and headed on her own — the walk from Sakura's house to her apartment not being too far nor long. It was a stupid idea, she knew, but something about the hanging around the hero for so long had made her bolder. Or more foolish. Could be both.

The walk to the apartment was successful and she was able to get in and get ready pretty fast. She chose an outfit that was party-appropiate and rather cute, she ran the straightener through her hair, and re-touched her makeup. Then, there was the walk back. Again, the walk was not long and she didn't think of it as dangerous, but when she had been walking home the sun was barely setting and now it was long gone, vanished and disappeared, and she was left with nothing but the flickering street lights illuminating her way. A sense of deja-vu washed over her and she cursed herself for not making one of her friends tag along, or for not calling up her sister.

There was a sound, thudding footsteps against tiles, against pavement, against more tiles, thundering in her ears, coming closer and closer. Chaewon looked up and spotted a dark silhouette running over the rooftops of the buildings to the side, running in her general direction. She squinted, thinking it was perhaps her hero, but the running silhouette stopped as if catching sight of her — they hadn't seen her before that second, Chaewon assumed they just happened to be passing through when they spotted her. But they stood now at the top of the tall building besides her, staring down at her. Oh.

"Chaewon?" A voice called out an she knew then, this was not her hero.

Now, Chaewon is scared. She stands tall and straight, but feels small nonetheless. This random figure knows her name, which could only mean two things: One, some kind of villain had been stalking her and Spider-Man and had come to learn her identity and was now about to — Nah, the second option.

As Chaewon feels the tension leave her body, the other jumps off the roof and lands on their two feet with a loud and dramatic stomp.

"You," Chaewon says hardly above a whisper when she catches sight of the all black suit with red accents here and there. Realizing what she says, she adds a, "What brings you here?" To avoid sounding so surprised and maybe even rude.

The hero seems to scan her — she can't really tell through the mask, but she assumes so from the way that the hero's head tilts up and down.

"Heading somewhere?" The dark figure asks.

"A party," Chaewon responds, voice hardly audible.

"Would you like some company?"

Chaewon's lips are pressed tight. She ponders. Would that be smart? Would that be foolish? It wasn't her hero, no, but it was a hero nonetheless. Though with the way this hero was acting it might as well have been some total stranger pretending to be the dark Spider-Man. But she didn't think it likely, why would that be the case? Still, she was a cautious person.

"How do I know to trust you?" She asks, casting the dark hero a suspicious look.

"You should."

"You sound overly-confident."

"I am. Also, I know your _friend_ Spider-Man so—"

The hero stops, as if she said something she wasn't supposed to and Chaewon frowns, but — oh.  _Oh._

"I could use the company, I don't have good experiences with walking alone at night," Chaewon responds, "my friends might worry as well."

The hero nods and extends a hand out. "Then we can't keep them waiting."

Chaewon examines the held out hand, but all suspicions have left her. She takes it. As soon as her hand clasps around hers, Chaewon feels herself being pulled up against the other hero before they instantly launch off without a warning. It isn't the same, she notes. It feels stiff an awkward, not necessarily uncomfortable, but not right. This hero is different from her own. Perhaps she is biased. Perhaps she is blinded. But she knows, the person under this mask is different.

They arrive in no time, the distance wasn't much and with the swinging the travel time is cut in half. They stand in a dark area, the party being just down the road. The dark hero stands before her, no movement, no words, just standing.

"Thank you," Chaewon speaks, rubbing her arm.

"Stay safe," The hero replies.

Chaewon opens her mouth to reply, but the hero reaches a hand up and is swinging away in a matter of seconds. She feels a drop in her chest. No directions were given, for the hero to know. She thinks about this as she heads over to the party that started fifteen minutes ago.

 

* * *

 

It was another fifteen minutes later when Chaewon sat on a couch somewhere off in a corner, staring out the window in a daze, much like she did at her own home, when the three missing girls walked in: Minjoo, Yena, and Yuri. It seemed only Chaewon noticed when they walked in, sitting at the complete other side, yet watchful eyes falling over them instantly. She watched as Yuri seemed to scold Minjoo who only shrugged before pointing at Yena, saying something else. Yena looked appalled at her words, and Yuri rolled her eyes, waving a hand in the air. Minjoo opened her mouth to say something else, but it was at that moment that everyone else in the room seemed to notice their presence.

"Yuri! Minjoo! You two are finally here!"

The two got immersed into a series of hugs and congratulations while Yena stood at the side, cheering loudly with Chaeyeon. But Chaewon remained in her corner, eyes lingering over the one behind her suffocating feelings as of late, feeling the thud in her chest. There was no hiding it now, she was sure she wore her heart on her sleeve. She was never good at hiding her feelings, not the way her friends appeared to be. So it was best for her to remain hidden at the back as she thought it all through, trying to settle down the blurring thoughts that had fogged her mind for days, but seemed to clear up more and more with each passing second, now that she had all the pieces.

Tonight, she had to sort it all out, tonight.

But then there was a run-in with Yena, somewhere in between the snacks table and the couch near the back, and the two stood there awkwardly, just staring.

Yena wore her hair up in a high ponytail, and a leather jacket hugging her body in a fitting form. Chaewon exhaled.

"Chaewon I have something I need to tell you," Yena said and any other night, Chaewon would have been all over it. But she was only ready for one confrontation that night and unfortunately, it wasn't with Yena.

"Look, Yena," Chaewon began just as her eyes caught sight of the girl she needed to talk to that night, standing not to far from. Her eyes flickered back to Yena and all words left her mouth. "Uhm."

Yena raised an eyebrow, expectantly.

"I can't talk right now," Chaewon settled for, rather disappointed herself.

The look on Yena's face faltered. "Oh. But Chaewon, uhm, this is important."

Chaewon felt something stirr up inside her, but she couldn't do this now. She wanted to talk, she wanted to listen to what Yena had to say, and if her intuitions were correct, this was a conversation she had been waiting for since long ago — but Minjoo had to come first. She just had to.

"I'm sorry," Chaewon hardly whispers before she is pushing past through the crowd, leaving a rather baffled Yena behind.

But Chaewon did not go straight to Minjoo from there. Yes, confrontation was needed that night, but if she could push it as far back as she could, she would.

Though she found she couldn't push it back any further when Minjoo approached her later on as she poured some more punch into a red cup, smiling at her fondly in a way that was so familiar to her and — Chaewon felt stuck. Her throat her, and her eyes flickered to the side, trying to find another pair of eyes, and her hold on the cup tightened. She set it down and looked back up at the other, weak smile finding its way to her face.

"I have something to tell you," Chaewon spoke, sounding more unstable than what she hoped she would. Minjoo opened her mouth to say something, but her hand reached for hers and she found herself pulling the girl up the stairs as her eyes finally locked with the other pair of brown, deep eyes staring back at her from the crowd before they vanished from sight.

"Okay," Chaewon breathes when they finally stand in Sakura's dimly lit room, feeling less suffocated, away from the crowd and the loud music. She can almost think straight for once that night, but only almost because she's starting to realizing the strong taste of the punch had nothing to do with the punch itself, but the fact that Yuri most probably spiked it in honor of becoming an adult.  _Fuck,_ she thinks to herself as she feels her thoughts cloud up in her head once more. But there is no more time for that, Chaewon tries to think, she stands here with reason. Something to do with Minjoo, right. She released another exasperated breath. "I know."

"What?" Minjoo asks, and Chaewon is rather aware of the tone in her voice. A touch of hope, a touch of dread, a touch of fear.

Chaewon's eyes shut tight for a moment and she leans against the wall on the other end. Though her thoughts keep jumping back and forth between a fog and a blur, and a clear focus, she is aware. Aware in a way she wishes she wasn't, especially in a moment so intimate like this. Not like the ones with Spider-Man, though, this was different. Her eyes open and land on the open window. She can see the moon.

"What do you know?" Minjoo asks, softly.

Chaewon considers for a moment, and hesitates. She re-thinks this whole moment, the whole night, the whole week, all of the past few months. But there is that loud thudding in her chest that feels so surreal with the intoxication of the spiked punch, and she can't ignore this. _Damn Yuri_ , she thinks.

"I know a lot. More than you would think," Chaewon begins to speak, more to herself than to Minjoo," I guess." She almost whispers that last part, suddenly becoming unsure of herself. What if she backs out right now? What would happen then? "I didn't ask to know all of this, and I almost wish I didn't. But I think I like knowing, because I used to not know and I don't think it was any better, I felt really lost an confused, and as intriguing it is to not know, I don't think I could continue living in the dark for so long. So—" Where is she going with this? She has a point, she knows she does.

Her chest heaves up and down and she can hear her breathing. She is unstable, not in her right mind. She continues to stare up at the ceiling. "So I think I like knowing better than not knowing. In some cases, I suppose. But isn't knowing sometimes a curse? A burden? I think I know what she meant, now..."

"Chaewon—"

"I know you like me." It comes out as a chocked back breath, and for a moment Chaewon doesn't think she heard her — she doesn't think she heard herself, really — because she just stands there, and she can't see her whole face, the room is dark, but she can see the faint outline of her expression. Blank, emotionless, maybe stunned, maybe frozen, and her eyes — her eyes. "I think I've know since the first time we saw each other. I think I knew when we were younger, too, maybe. And I think I ignored it, because I just knew — I knew I couldn't feel the same way. But Minjoo, you are great, you are perfect, in every way that I wish I could be, and I thought if someone so perfect feels this way about me, I'd be damned not to like them back. So I—" Chaewon almost feels the suffocation choke her, and her throat hurts like hell. "—I thought I should like you. I think I tried, and I tried to like you back, because you deserve that much. And I had myself fooled, for some time, because I really thought — and I was wrong."

"Chaewon," She can hardly hear it from the other side of the room, but it's there, weak and vulnerable, "I get it." It is a cry out for her to stop, Chaewon knows and understands.

They spend another moment in silence and Chaewon isn't sure how long it lasts, she feels incapable of tracking time at the moment. But it is a buzz that interrupts the moment, and when Chaewon sees the light of the phone illuminate Minjoo's side of the room, she knows she is about to leave.

"I have to go," Minjoo whispers, not because she feels the need to be silent, but because if she were to speak any louder it would show in her tone, in her voice, in a crack, and Chaewon knows this and hates how aware and alert this moment feels to her.

Chaewon opens her mouth and considers for a moment, if she should say she knows. She knows why she has to run off now, she knows what the text means, she knows where she is going off to, she knows another secret. But one secret is enough for the night, enough to dampen what was supposed to be a night of celebration, and she decides not now. She thinks for a moment, how funny it is that she always leaves things off for another time, another moment, a future Chaewon that was sure to curse present (or was it past, if it was the future?) Chaewon for constantly pushing things off, shoveling them into a giant pile, a giant mess, which she was sure to drown in later on. But again, she was in the now.

"I understand," Chaewon mumbles and watches Minjoo open the door before walking out and closing it behind her. If Minjoo has left, she should be gone as well, she thinks. Maybe Chaewon should head home.

 

* * *

 

Chaewon does head home when she sees all of the important people have left the party, and walks into her room with expectations. But it is empty and she is left sitting alone in the dark, the moonlight falling over her desk, with nothing but her loud, thudding heart, and alert and heavy feelings keeping her company. She sits for how long, she doesn't know, just waiting. Waiting. And waiting. Waiting for a knock at her window, waiting for a flash of vibrant red and blue to appear before her, waiting for a text to light up her phone, waiting for a missing presence to make its appearance. Waiting for someone that doesn't come that night. Chaewon hears sirens in the streets, somewhere in the far distance and looks up at her window. She wonders and she considers turning the tv on, tuning into the news. She considers checking her phone, logging onto her social media, scrolling through news sites.

There is a dread and a worry that falls over Chaewon and looms in her heart, filling her chest with this sickening anxious feeling that suffocates her all the more. She thinks back to yesterday, when there was a promise made, one of tomorrow, once of soon, one of hope. And she remembers, it was incomplete. The promise was never finished, and though she guessed, assumed, and hoped, it remained nothing more than simple words whispered under the moonlight of the night with nothing but darkness surrounding and entrapping those words to keep them in hold, to keep them in lock, to keep them true.

Chaewon doesn't change out of her clothes, she doesn't remove her makeup (which she hates doing, because the feeling of her sheets pressing against her oily skin is one of the most disgusting feelings ever), and she doesn't check her phone. A move she would regret in the morning. But for now, here in the moment, she is somehow able to fall asleep with the dread that fills her heart, with the sound — the loud echos — of the sirens in the back that only seem to get louder and louder, drumming hard against her ears, like her pulsing heart and pumping blood.

 

* * *

 

Chaewon knows from the moment she wakes up. She can't remember her dreams, her nightmares, but the way she is shaking when she wakes up is enough an answer. Her phone is left by her desk and she considers reaching out for it, but that anxious feeling overtakes her and she retracts her hand, remaining sitting on her bed, staring for a few seconds. She pushes the sheets off herself and stands. She walks to the door and her hand reaches for the doorknob, but there is the heavy feeling in her chest that stops her. Her breathing is labored and disoriented and for a moment she just stands there, trying to stabilize herself. Nothing helps and she decides to just pull the door open, stepping out into the living room where Eunbi sits at one of the couches.

She doesn't notice at first and makes into the kitchen before she feels that thud, and she hears it. The same sirens of the previous night. She turns, and the moment comes into focus. Eunbi sitting on the couch, hand up against her mouth as she bites her lips anxiously, and the screen showing the morning news — the noon news? How long had she been asleep?

"As the footage of last night shows—"

"Wait," Chaewon speaks and before she can process anything she is rushing to the couch, picking up the control and rewinding the scene. Eunbi looks up at her, tears in her eyes, "Chaewon," her sister speaks, but she cannot hear. She presses play and the scene unfolds before her in a flash. Somewhere dark, outside of some tall building, she thinks, Spider-Man, her hero, fighting on her own, winning as usual, and then someone from somewhere, with a gun — and it all happens so fast and there's a shot and, and, and Chaewon has to blink away the tears in her eyes to be able to see what happens next — the other hero, the other Spider-Man, showing up and — and there's blood, and it is all blurred and censored, but it is vivid in her mind and she can only see her hero — her imagination takes over, and she thinks she sees the other Spider-Man takes everyone down before helping her hero up, swinging away or something, and she thinks she hears her sister saying something, maybe yelling.

But Chaewon can't think, she can't process, and she doesn't realize the glass cup she was holding had dropped and broken until she falls to the ground and the shards stick and dig into her palms and red fills her vision. A blurry mess of red. And her breath is labored and suffocating and she doesn't think she can breath. How does someone breath? And the tears fall and fall and the dreading, the anxious feelings, the weary thoughts — it all built up to this moment, and she snaps, and she sobs and mumbles, whispers, breathes out, chokes out, "Y-Yena—" And there's a ringing. "Yena..." And her vision is nothing but a red blur. And she hears her sister, yelling something besides her but she can't hear. She can't hear or see anything. And it all goes dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay, there it is... oh my gosh.
> 
> a few chapters ago...
> 
> my sister: Omg you decided to take the into the spiderverse route and brought in the other spiderman, yeah!
> 
> me: haha yeah, but what happens to the original spiderman when miles morales comes along
> 
> my sister:...
> 
> me:....
> 
> my sister: *gasp*
> 
>  
> 
> anyways i really hope this chapter wasn't too confusing? i can honestly see why it would be confusing but... to clear up...
> 
> yes, chaewon does know the identity of both spidermans and yes, our one and only hero is none other than yena!
> 
> there is a specific moment in the last chapter where chaewon realizes that yena is spiderman and if you go back and read it, now knowing that she knows, i don't think it should be that hard to find? also, if you re-read everything in the past two chapters, now knowing that it's yena, it will be pretty obvious... at least i believe so. idk, i put in a lot of parallels between moments with yena and chaewon and moments with spiderman and chaewon.
> 
> also, yeah, minjoo is the other spiderman, in case i didn't make that clear in the last paragraph. there is also a specific moment in this chapter where chaewon realizes, but i think i made that one more obvious.
> 
> anyways, if yall want to guess these moments i would love to hear what yall think.
> 
> thank you for reading! i hope you all enjoyed... unless your guess was wrong.... i'm truly sorry...
> 
> but next chapter will be spiderman pov ;)
> 
> -J


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